The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1891-05-07

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Near the foot Of these trees lay tCOman
In a faint
Across from field, far to the right Of
the dusty road, came the sound Of q
shout. The air, quivering with summer
heat, seemed reluctant to carry it.
Everything had been 50 still before that
the faint murmurs Of insect life and the
chattering and barking of the red squir-
rels in the stone walls had seemed like
disturbances, and the stiffness, like a
sentient being, had merely moved lit
tie to make room for an annoyance,
settling down again after each small
noise like q tired sleeper. Then the
shout came, flying straight and swiftly,
across the meadows and fell plump in
the dust. Then all was still again. Not
even bird chirped.
Young Tanning moved uneasily in his
Gleep. He was lying on the grass in the
shade Of huge elm, waiting for the
cooler part Of the day before rambling
further on the purpOseless stroll he had
undertaken. The sudden noise, faint
as it was, broke his deep slumber and
Get him dreaming. The dream awoke
him. .
Another shout followed the first, and
as II nature had been reused from a
Rlumber like his own the air stirred
more readily-the sound came less like
. rife bullet. It was more prolonged
than the first, and there was an accent
to it sufficient to bring young flaming
to his feet. Some one was calling fol
help.
He listened moment, but the air wa
still again. It was q stiffness that, like
EgyptS darkness, could be felt. Raising
his voice, he sent out . mighty cry thai
shattered the repOse. A little breeze
stirred. A bird called back with little
carol. A crow cawed lazily from his
perch somewhere in the woods. Fan.
ming waited, listening keenly. There
was brief delay. Then the third call
came, fainter and yet palmer than the
Others. A woman was calling and her
voice was throbbing with pain.
Tanning was bored. He had left his
chambers in the city for lazy tour on
foot, feeling that work was out Of the
question by reason Of the heat, and here
on the first day he was called on to res
cue an unknown woman from unknown
trouble. He felt that IL was an imposi,
ton, but could not see his way clear tn
ignore the demand, being very human.
Tightening his belt, he sprang lightly
over the low stone wall and ran across
tho fields directly toward the spot where
the woman lay. It was rough ground,
and ho ran very swiftly, but his breath
was easy and measured, his head wa
erect and his chest wen out he wal
. rather 6mall man, but his spare frame
was all bone and muscle, and every
muscle was wen developed.
A quarter Of q mile Of this easy run.
ming brought him to q little grove. II
was q neglected place. The underground
was rank and tangled. Briery shootl
were interlAced ike . network without
order or design. Weeds choked the bet,
ter capabilities Of the soil Saplings that
numbered space drAined the vitality oi
worthier trees, and none were thrifty en-.
cepting q few old ones that were strong
enough to hold their own and that looked
down with lofty contempt at the brush
beneath. It was a world in little.
Near the foot Of these trees, as Fan.
ming saw, drawing near, lay . woman
In faint. The man looked, in q dis.
gust that was almost unnatural, and his
irst word was Q malediction. Then he
sighed and mopped his face with hand.
kerchief that was at once wet through.
Then his face took on . professional
look, and he muttered to himself,
Lucky have taken my degree. There
might be a scandal about this"
Then the woman became the patient,
and the man, equally unconscious Of the
change, became the physician. Sex was
eliminated from the problem suggested
BY the situation. Like any other verify,
however, It failed to remain eliminated.
But that was afterward. He looked
keenly, and seeing that he had q swoon
to treat first, he deftly and quickly
loosened her dress at the neck, and lift
ing her little with his left hand, cut
the laces Of her corset, slashing through
the dress with his penknife, unhesita.
tingly. Then with his strong, nimble
fingers he tore the gap wider and
loosened the string. Laying her back
on the ground he famed her with his
hat.
Naturally in such o case" he grum.
bled to himself. "there Il no water at
hand"
Luckily, however, the swo0n was not
deep, and she sat up presently, looking
q him with . question in her eyes that
disappeared almost instantly. Pain
chased Il away.
"Take aBwSllow Of this, he said, pro.
ducins 0 pocket flask. She obeyed, and
the raw whisky made her cough. She
looked reproachfully at him.
'That e all right, he said reassur.
tnely. snow teIl me how you are hurt.
"I slipped and wrenched my foot, and