Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-12-04

arm, Miss Maitland stands leaning heav-
lily on his breast. She is very pale for a
moment. partly from exhaustion, partly
from pain, for there was no time to free
her foot from the stirrup. and the ankle
is severely wrenched. Nolan, riderless
now and cast loose. stands with lowered
head and heaving TANKS, a sympathetic
but proudly heroic locker on; he knows
he has played his part in that rescue.
The huge English hunter is plunging in
misery among the mounds few yards
back, his fore leg broken. One of the
troopers has seized his bride, and an
other is unstrapping the heavy English
saddle. "Splendidly done!" says the colo
mel, as he trots carefully up, casting a
glance at the fallen cause of all the mis-
chief; but if that saddle had been one
of those three pronged denominations he
couldn't have swept her off as he did"
Graham has galloped to the stream
for water. and the colonel lifts Mrs.
Sprague from her saddle, and together
they advance To offer sympathy and aid.
Mrs. Lawrence follows rs quickly as she
can pick her way among the prairie dog
holes. Dana has deserted Mrs. Belknap,
and she alone remains mounted while
all these others throng about the two
who stand there for the moment, cling
ing TO each other. And now Gladys
Maitland has raised her head: bushes
Of shame and confusion triumph over
pallor and pain; she strives to stand
alone, but Perry bids her desist. The
moment she sees Mrs. Sprague's sweet,
womanly, sympathetic face her eyes are
filed with comfort and her heart goes
ont To her. Most reluctantly Perry re-
signs his prize TO the arms that open to
receive her, and then come the wonder
ing EXPLANATIONS of some, and the brief,
breathlcss explanations.
Don't try to talk yet" pleads Mrs.
Sprague. I'VE are only too glad it was
no worse"
Indeed, Im not hurt" answers Ola
dys, bravely-"only a little wrench,
but" and she laughs nervously, trying
to carry it off with all the pluck and
spirit of her race, sit would have been
what we call n nasty cropper' at home
f'-and her eyes turn shyly vet with
world OF gratitude To hist had not
been for Mr.. Perry"
oh, then you know Mr.. Perry ex.
claims Mrs. Sprague, with frank delight,
and Mrs. Lawrence turns in rejoicing to
look first in his glowing face, then at the
dark beauty of Mrs. Belknap silently lis
tenins. "Why. we had no idea And
she concludes irresolutely.
"Oh, yea; we met at the ranch-at
home. | am Miss Maitland, YOU know;
and that is my fathers place. But we've
only just come" she adds, with the wo-
mans natural desire to explain To new
found friends why and how it was that
they had not met before. And then the
group is joined by bulky young Briton
IN the garb Of "A groom. though modified
10 suit the requirements of frontier life;
he comes cantering TO the scene all ell
bows and CONSERVATION; he gives groan
Of dismay at sight of the PROSTATE hun
ter, but rides directly to his mistress.
She is paling again now, and in evident
pain, and Perrys face is study as he
stands, his eyes riveted upon her; but she
tries to smile and reassure him.
you'll have to ride to Dunr-to the
ranch, Griggs." she said; 'and-there's
no help for it-papa will have to be told.
Let them send for me"
Pardon me, Miss Maitland" inter.
rupted Col. Brainard. you are almost
under the walls of Fort Rossiter, and
Dunraven is miles away. have sent a
swift horse for DIR. Quin and a spring
ambulance. We cannot let you go home,
now that you are so near US, until you
have had rest and proper care"
Indeed we cannot, Miss Maitland"
chimed in both ladies at a breath. You
are TO come right to my house until you
are fit to travel"
I'm not very fit just now. certainly"
she answers, with faint smile: but /
can surely wait here until they send;
twill not be more than an hour at most"
ut will be two hours-perhaps three
Miss Maitland" pleaded Perry, bending
eagerly forward. DO listen to our la
dies"
And "our ladies' prevailed. While
Griggs went sputtering oil to Dunraven
with the sUrrowful news, the strong
arms of Perry and Graham lifted and
bore their English captive to the shade
OF clump of cottonwoods. Mrs.
Sprague and Mrs. Lawrence managed
to make little couch for her as a tenn
porary resort. Mrs. Belknap rode up
and was formally introduced, then gal
loped away to Rossiter to send blankets
for the picnic couch and see to the pill
lows of the ambulance. The colonel and
Perry remained with the ladies and en-
crossed their attention while Graham
went back and sent two pistol bullets
into the struggling hunters brain, still
ing his pain forever. Then came DR..
9uin galloping like the wind down the
familiar trail, Gliding GLADYS" as
though his right to do so were a long
established thing, and thereby setting
Perry's teeth on edge, and. long before
The call for afternoon stables was sound
ing, the fair daughter of Dunraven
Ranch was housed within the walls Of
Rossiter and the "ice was broken"
Perry had had the joy of helping carry
her into Mrs. Sprague's coolest and Co
.iest room. She had held forth her hand |
such long, white, beautiful hand |
md lei IL rest in his while she said, |
You know how impossible it is for me |
% tell you how j thank you. Mr. Perry"
md he had simply bowed over it, long
ng To say what he thought, but power
ess to think of anything else; and then
ne had gone to his own quarters and |
hut himself in Mrs. Sprague-bless
invited him to call after re-
reat. and he had totally forgotten the
-awrences' dinner when he said he
would be only too glad to come
At the sounding of stable call his darky |
servant banged at the door and reused |
nim from his reverie. He rose mechan-
cally and went out into the broad sun |
shine. glancing first along the row to |
zee how things were looking at the |
5pragues' and wishing with all his heart
hat they were somewhere within reach |
Of conservatory, that he might send q
neaping box of fresh and dewy roses to |
hat sacred room where she lay. How
many time, he thought, had he strolled