The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-03-10

| lively. The strange sound was repeated. He
moved cautiously on the narrow trail. Then
suddenly as he arrived at the spring, which
made quite n pool as il fell from a shelf of
sandstone, with cry or horror from his lips,
! he saw prone on the ground, her pale mouth
/ just touching the waters edge as it flowed ia
a diminutive riyulet on its way 10 joint the
! Elkhorn i'm the valley below, the apparently
lileless form Of Susie Reaume!
susie, my darling!" cried he, as he knclt
reyerently by her side and kissed her forehead,
for he believed her certainly dead. But the
! girls eyes opened as she felt the warm impress
Of his lips, aud she looked up into his anxious
face with an unmistakabe glance Of recogni-
4 ton, vainly essaying 10 speak.
"Oh, Susie, are you seriously hurt Tell me,
! ii you can" he lovingly pleaded, rs he then,
for the first time, with fear depicted on his
countensnce, noticed pool Of dried blood on
/ the sod beneath her.
After an evident struggle she laboredly
] gasped: Yes-Jacl-here" touching her
right side with her left hand, causing her much
effort 20 accomplish il.
Jack &C once commenced TO unfasten her
| dress, but She instinctively attempted 10 raise
! her arms 10 prevent him, while delicate blush
/ spread over her pale face.
Susie, dear" said Jack, rs he understood
what her motion was intended to convey to
him, there are no womau's hands here 10 DO
]
SO, darling, let there be no false modes'y. /
want 10 save you, and you want 10 live"
Upon this appeal she made no more resistance,
but her eyes closed aud the glow of her maiden
delcacy deepened while Jack. with the most
sacred feelings, cut open her bodice with his
sheath-Inife and exposed her virgin bosom 20
the evening breeze On the right side, imme-
diatcly on line with her shoulder. he dis
covered an ugly lance wound. which had bled
SO pr0lusely that she had tainted aud was
almost exhausted when Jack found her. The
wound had stopped flowing some time since,
evidently, and fortunately tho blade had not
] penetrated her lungs; al least so thought Jack
IN his careful aud gentle examination, deter
mining the matter from tho fact that there was
no hemorrbage from her mouth, and he silently
thanked God.
IL was now long after sundown. In the
lingering twilight he carefully washed the
wound with water using a portion Of her skirt
ne had cut of for the purpose. Completing
THIS Office, and binding on a wet compress, Jack
then moved her tendeIly TO a mat Of soft
bulalograss near by, made a pillow Of his
saddle, and covering for her out Of his saddle
blanket, then busted himself in making her a
cup of coffee, supply of which and a small
pot he always carried with him.
The coffee and some bareback he had revived
the wounded girl very materially, reduced the
incipicnt fever which had set in, aud permitted
her 10 fall into gentle slumber, while Jack,
under the brilliant consultations Of the incom-
parable June night, nurscd her through its
silent watches The poor fellow leaned
patiently over her with looks OF the most ten
der solicitude, bathing her temples now and
then with water from the spring when she be-
came the least restless aud occasionally run
nlng hls fingers through her dark ringlets with
the i0ndness Of young but constantly grow
4 ing affection, for IL was his first love, and he
had given his soul up 10 u with all the strength
aud weakness Of his passion.
The sun, though not yet above the horizon OF
the valley, WAS Just gliding the cTcsts of the
/ Twin Mounds next morning when Susie awoke
with glance Of approving affection on Jack.
Although She did not speak, there is a language
Of looks which is sufficient for the purposes OF
love. As he quietly kissed her he understood
il perfectly, aud il filled his soul with joy.
Jack then, after his ablutious nj the spring,
made little fire, put on his coffee pot, which
] soon boiled, aud while IL was settling tendcrly
washed the wounded girls face aud placed a
! fresh compress on the cruel hole in her side.
After Susie had partaken Of her frugal break
/ fast she was able 10 converse few minutes.
\ She expressed herself in words that were music
! ia Jacks ears, Of the deepest gratitude aud
! love for the care he had bestowed upon her. as
surfing him that but for his opportune coming
aud devotion, she would havo been hours since
dead
"Do you think, Susie, You could ride on nv
! hore2" pleadingly inquired Jack. We could
reach Fort Harker early ia the afternoon. il
you have strength enough 10 sit in the saddle,
and can bear the fatigue. / am certain you
need doctors care aud WOmans nursing.
1 If 10 was possible 10 leave you here / would
make the post Ia three hours, aud bring back
4 an ambulance for you. But that would re-
qlire every minute from now until o'clock,
/ aud 70 mol T-gu IN al kara aud a1g
until / return, with the Indians lowering
| around perhaps, cannot be thought Of"
Susie was now sitting mp leaning against
/ the trunk Of a big elm 10 which Jack had car
ried her, in order that she might be more com.
Portable, and in answer said:
81 think / am strong enough. Jack ] must
/ be That is the only thing that can be done
/ ! haven't much fever now, and my wound
hasn't blod any since yesterday. Let's try. al
least I've lots Of courage; you know that
/ and believe that ] can make the trip"
Jack then watcrcd Tatoulla, saddled him. aud
/ after tying him 10 a tree, told Susie lac would
90 up on the bill aud make reconnaissance
before they started; that he would only bo
gone about 10 or - minutes, aud not 10 worry
/ during his absence.
The sun was fairly above the horizon when
Jack, with only his sheath.knifc, started for
the bluffs above the creek bottom, where hc
/ could see over the country for miles lie
! wanted 10 satisfy himself whether there were
/ any Indians skulking ia the vicinity, rs he
| dared not take such desperate chances handi.
capped with the helpless girl rs he would II lac
were going 10 make the trip 10 Fort Harker
| alone.
lie had not forgotten his promise Of the after
noon before 10 join the cavalry column aud
guide il 10 the post consequently he Was some.
/ what disturbed az first. Bat when he left the
! Colonel, he, Of course, never H. .gined that
such fate had befallcn Reaumos ranch aud
/ the girl Jack loved. So the scout did not when
he considered the matter a moment, weigh bis
duty ia tho scales Of his affection. lie would
have sacrificed place, friends aud everything
TO save has ailianced. What mau would blame
himg
lie had Just reached tho second bottom above
/ thc creek, Was emerging from the heavy growth
Of timber out on the prairie al the foot Of tho
most s0uthCrly Of the Twin Mounds, when be
was confronted by mOutrOus shu PANTHER wit
/ three young ones not more than six weeks old
/ Ordinarily, that animal OF the genus felis viii
not attack man, prcleTring, rather. 10 shrink
from hls presence, unless provoked by w0uu Is
But IN this instance both Hart and the I,aBtbcr
were face 10 face on the edge Of the woods bg.
fore they were aware Of the fact Which was
the more surprised, the man or the beast, IL
would have been difficult 10 determine
IL there had been no little ones with her ffe
panther in all probability, would have iucon.
tiucutly bounded into the timber al tho FIRST
glance OF Jacks eyes but the presence Of tho
kittens aroused the maternal instinct for their
safety. So with a low growl aud character.
/ lstic spit 40 him. she flew at the scouts breast