Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1889-01-24
No. a,

brake, her little feet did not reach the
dash. boatd. but rested on some sacks
Of barley that filled the forward boot.
In this barley she made nest for tha
baby. When she was ready to start it
was evident that she was not ignorant
OF driving. She held the lines and whip
like the amateur drivers Of the New
York coaching clubs. The horses had
been restiye during these prolonged
preparations, and they started off froe-
lY at her t!morous word.
And now the distraction Of driving
and tho sense Of motion diminished her
first ghastly horror and placed it with
nervous excitement. She had no diff.
Fculty in finding the road, the' horses
took her back to it. When she reached
1t, however, she stopped to look around
and determine which way led to Pacl:
City. It would De frighttul to make Il
mistake and drive hack into that awful
tragedy. She thought with shudder
of what might be there, dead or living,
in the moon.lit road or in the blackness
the bushes. She wondered what had
become of the driver. Was it lis body
that she had seen fall from the stage?
He must be either dead or wounded
perhaps he was only wounded She
would send back help Instantly FROM
Park City. But when she decided on
the direction she still hesitated. The
recollection Of that tail, broad shoul
dered young driver. who had been 80
kind and courteous TO her, persisted in
obtruding itself on Der mind. Perhaps
if he was only wounded he might be
dying now for want Of little help.
He had helped her in her need, he had
helped her baby. In common human.
ity ought she not 90 back to his assis-
tance? Was il not cowardly to take
the stage and d.sert him ? Longing to
go the other way and weeping hysteri-
cally, she finally turn the reluctant
horses toward the canon.
The moon had lit up the vicinity Of
the scrub oaks by the time the stage
moved slowly back on the scene. All
was silent and deserted Suddenly the
horses snorted and SHE'D at a mas Of
blue cloth lying in the road. The wo.
man turned the team to one side and
drove it against some. trees. Then
taking her baby in her arms she crept
down from her perch, and starting at
every sound, stole her way TO the pros.
trate form. 1t was the drivers face
which she uncovered, as CHASTITY white
as her own, and smircbed with blood
and dust Then she slipped her hand
under bis coat and laid it over his
heart. It was still beating. Hnrried.
Iy she searched his pockets for the flask
that he had used in her service but n
few hours before it was her turn now.
She lifted his head and poured the
raw whiskey generously down his
throat. He responded with a gsoan
and gasp that frightened her anew,
and then struggled to sitting posture.
Water he cried. for Gods sake. wa
teri Then as she hesitated, he con~
tinued family, my shat. There's q
spring over there and lay down with
another groan.
Her fear was dispelled by the sound
! of his voice She found the spring, and
filling his hat, let him drink, and
bathed his face and head He revived
at this treatment, and again sitting up
took out his ikniifsr,- and asked her to cut
his sleeve off Il ara losing 'blood ter
ribly from my arm, he explained.
She bravely but tremblingly did as she
was told. When she had cut away the
soaked cloth and barred the massive
arm, he helped her to improy,sc a
tourniauet with his handkerchief and a
piece Of stick, and the bleeding was
stopped. After second dose Of whis'
KEY ana water he commenced to in-
prove rapidly. She bound another
cloth around his head. The fellow
with the rife did that, he said. 'Tb. It
is what knocked me off he box 1t is
only Craze, but it was mighty close
CALI Then he struggled to his feet,
and, looking around saw the stage.
They didn't get the box, did they p
he cried eagerly.
i don't know" she said, taking mp
her baby and hushing its cries. II
don think 90. The horses ran away
The horses ran away " he said star
ing wonderingly for the first time at the
pretty white face that WAS raised to his.
We'll, but-why--how did the stage
get back here?'
4 brought it back. she replied, low.
ering her head under his persistent
gaze,
4 4 = I u