Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1894-05-03
No; but, by the God Of heaven, l

ana now az wing, exhausted, sinks
back to his couch his head is caught on
Fanny Harvey's arm and noxt is pill
lowed in her lap.
Hush |" she murmurs, bending down
over him as a mother might over sleep
ing child. Hush you must not speak
again. l know how her heart is bound
up in you, and I'm to play mother to
you now"
And as Drummond, tingling all over
with wrath and excitement, stands spell
bound for the moment, light step
comes to his SIDE little hand is laid on
the bandaged arm, and Ruth Harvey's
pretty face, two big tears trickling
down her cheeks, is looking up in his.
You, too, will be i'll, Mr.. Drum
mond. Oh, why can't you go and lie
down and restP What will we do if
both Of you are down at once with
fever?"
She is younger by over two years
than her brave sister. Tall though she
has grown, Ruth is but child, and
now in all her excitement and anxiety,
worn out with the long strain, she be-
gins to cry. She strives to hide it,
strives to control the weakness, and
failing in both strives to turn away.
All to no purpose. An arm in
sling is Of little avail at such a mo-
ment. Whirling quickly about, Drum
mond brings his other into action. Be-
fore the weeping little maid is well
aware what is happening her waist is
encircled by the strong arm in the dark
blue sleeve, and how can she see that
she is drawn to his breast, since now
her face is buried in both her hands and
those hands in the flannel of his hunt
ing shirt--iust as high as his heart?
Small wonder is it that Corporal Cos
tigan, hurrying in at tho mouth Of the
cave, stops short at sight of this pic
turesque partie carree. Any other time
he would have sense enough to face
about and tiptoe wi ~1ce he came, but
now there's no room left for sentiment.
Tableaux vivants are lovely in their
way, even in a cave lighted dimly by
hurricane lamp, but sterner scenes are
on the curtain. Drummond's voice is
murmuring soothing, yes, caressing
words to his sobbing t/ptive. Drum
monds bearded lips, unrebuked, are
actually pressing kiss upon that child
I5h brow when Costigan, with a prelim
mary clearing of his throat that sounds
like a landslide and makes the rock
walls ring again. startles Ruth from
her blissful woe and brings Drummond
leaping to the mouth of the cave.
Lieutenant, there's something COM
ing out over our trail"
Thank God!" signs Wing, as he
raises his eyes to those of his fair nurse.
THANK Cod for your sakesv'
Thank God, Ruth" cries Fanny,
extending one hand to her sister while
the other is unaccountably detained.
THANK Godl it's father and the Stone
man party and DR.. Gray"
And Ruth, throwing herself upon
her knees by her sisters side, buries
her head upon her shoulder and sobs
anew for very JOY.
And then comes sudden start. All
/ in an instant there rings, eohoing down
the canyon, the sharp, spiteful crack of
rifles, answered by shrieks Of terror
! from the cave where lie the Moreno
women and by other shots out along
the range. Three faces blanch with
sudden fear, though Wing looks instant
| ly up to say:
''They can't harm you, and our men
will be here in less than no time.
Out in the gorge men are springing
to their feet and selling their ready
arms; horses are snorting and stamp
ing, mules brayinS in wild terror. Two
Of the ambulance mules, breaking loose
from their fastenings, come charging
down the resounding rock, nearly an
initiating Moreno, who, bound and
helpless, praying and cursing by turns,
has rolled himself out of his nook and
lies squarely in the way of everything
and everybody. But above all the
clamor, the ring Of carbine, the hiss
and spat of lead fiattening upon the
rocks, Drummond's voice is heard clear
and commanding, serene and confident
Every man to his post now. Re-
member your orders.
Gazing out into the canyon with di-
lated eyes, Ruth sees him nimbly clam
Der up the opposite side toward the
point where Walsh is kneeling behind
Il iOth w diah NAth hAo AiiNii mug Va
banded in grin of delight, the smoke
Just drifting from the muzzle of his
carbine as he points with his left hand
somewhere out along the clits. She
sees her soldier boy, crouching low,
draw himself to Walsh's side. sees him
glancing eagerly over the rocks, then
signaling to some onj, on their own
side, pointing here and there along the
wooded slope beyond her vision; sees
him now, with fierce light in his eyes.
suddenly clutch Walsh's sleeve and nod
toward some invisible object to the