The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-09-16

We had a wood fire built in the sitting-room.
and opening the door. sat out on the wide
tic veranda, watching the twilight gather below
US long before we had lost the sun. Tbs cigars
that were TO have mingled their smoke with the
sea breezes, wreathed away TO be los. among the
mists that arose from the valley.
For two weeks felt as though had alighted
upon an enchanted shore, where all the inhabt-
ants were clever. devoted friends and beautiful,
charming women. The third week Jim and
set off early one mornIng TO a HEX where they
said deer were 70 be found.
We rode on horseback for several miles. and
then, leaving the horses, crept through the IN
derbrush az cautiously as possible. Whom We
came out to the waterhoe. we saw by the tracks
about that were too late; doubtless the ami
mails had come and gone again. There was
nothing to be done but stay about the place m
I'll evening when they would doubtless como
again.
We had brought lunch with US and We ate
that, fearing to smoke cigars on account OF the
odor. Twenty times. think, Jim wished that
We had brought Madge with rs. The day
seemed very long without her, and as she was
capital shot and had never killed q deer. she
would doubtless be very indignant at our creep
ing out in the early incoming and leaving her.
We were hungry and tired long before time
for the deer TO come down to the water again.
but we had made up our minds TO stay,
deer shooting had been anything but lucky this
II was Just at dusk on the mountain when we
light boof OF deer approaching. jim had
placed himself behind a log on one side, and
was in a group OF trees aud small brush an
other
Almost simultaneously with the first footstep
came another. seemingly almost behind me.
The first deer emerged from the forest and stood
stil like bronze statue In the dull light DE,
too, seemed TO hear that other step, and lifting
his antlsred head aloft, seemed to snuff the
air
went crazy. lifted nv rife and fired and
hardly waiting TO see HIM toss up his head,
sprang out into the opening. 1 never once
thought Of considering that the buck would or
could do me harm. He made one huge toward
me, his head lowered when there came the
sharp crack Of rife behind me, and the deer
fell over forward, dead, carrying me down with
him.
In another second Jim was by me, and Jim's
sister Madge wss holding my head.
bravo, Madge!' Jim was saying. with a
world of tender pride in his voice That was
the prettiest thing ever saw anybody do"
lis he hurtl" was all she said.
was hurt and just then 1t was convenient to
faint dead away.
The fall and shock had dislocated my shoulder.
don't know how they brought me back home I
only remember the journey as confusion Of
pain.
There was country doctor-'a material bone
setter'-about ten miles away on the mountain,
and he came and set my shoulder and bandaged
II, and assured me that IL lest wasn't nothin',"
but for several days l had a most unpleasant
low fever After that they rugged me ham
mock chair so that could ait out on the versnda
and Madge Blair took caro- of me. | hope felt
as brother toward her
Toward the end of the fourth week | began TO
grow nervous. must be back III Baltimore and
arrive with the Ella. l knew that my life
would hardly be worth living IL went home and
told Julia that had not only been in the mount
aims when she thought 1 was in France, but
had been hurt and had not sent for her, but in
stead-hsd let my life be saved by Madge Blair.
and had been under her care a patient The
middle was hopeless. The only way out OF it
was to 60 back to Baltimore and 20 home from
there with anecdotes of my voyage. As had
| been abroad a number of times | could invent
| that part of il without any difficulty. AS did
| not want to appear in the city before the ship
| came in, / had to tell Jim and Madge that
| thought, in consideration Of my battered condi-
| ton, should have TO lay it TO the account of
| the ship where / ought to have been, and that
| / should like to have telegram sent from the
| nearest station asking for the ships date.
The Blalrs the sort of people most rare1
| who never ask questions, but help you carry out
your own plans so Jim dispatched a man to
| Terra Alta with the telegram. He was gone
| twenty four hours. and came back with stun
ming answer.
The Ella was long overdue, and as a great
storm was reported. che was supposed to be
| lost
''Wer, now jim said, chats lucky. OF
course she isn't lost They never are. She will
be coming along in a day or two, and you will
| have that much moro time to recover from your
| accident If she is lost you can say you came
| over on another vsssel.p All, that was it.
| We sent man over to Terra Alta with in
structiops to keep telsgrsphing. and bring the
| first news of the ship My conscience did
| trouble me now and then az thought OF Julias
anxiety, but am afraid / had arrived at the
| point where was more afraid Of being found