Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-11-21
wagon. And made the man run down and
bring mo up here when he didn't want

~ uear Hnnos Oont pe loiouc! amy!
j. For the idiotic one was really wipins
two large tears from her lovely blue eyes.
She She. sub ssd into an ominous silence.
sleep. dear: you've had quite a shock to
your nerves" added her father, soothingly.
She continued silent. hpt not sleeping.
II smell Coffee"
You've been havinslconee papaT"
1--WE did have some. III think" said the
wretched man apologetically, though why
ne :s eo@,a not It. determine ,, -. ,o..
trying to eat me?'
mo. after"
I've horrid taste in my mouth. It's
Never!
:.Tsaa 3. it's the whiskya"
THE whisky. You were quite faint and
"Yes"
Another silence
I'D like some coffee I don't think he'd
begrudge me that, If he did save my life'
Il daresay there's some left" Her father
at once bestirred himself and presently
Drought her some coffee in a teacup. 1t
was part of Miss Amy's rapid GONZALES
cence, or equally of her deoilitated condi-
ton. that she made no comment on the
vessel. She lay for some moments look
ing curiously around the cabin; she had
no doubt 1t had worse look in the day
light, but somehow the freight brought d
wondrous luxury of colors in the bark
moor ana matching. Besides 1t was not
Smelly" as she feared it would he; on
the contrary the spicy aroma of the woods
was always dominant She remembered
that it was this that always made a
greasy. oily picnic tolerable. She raised
nerself on her elbow. seeing which her
father continued confidently. perhaps,
dear, II you sat up for few moments you
strong roh
down with me to the wagon. 1t would
save time
Amy instantly lay down again. Il don't
Know what you can be thinking of. papa
After this shock really l don't feel as If
could stand alone, much less walk. But. of
course" with pathetic resignation. IF you
ana Mr.. Waterhouse supported me. per-
haps l might crawl a few steps at a time"
Tenbrook will carry you down as he
brought you up. Only thought-but there
are steps; they are coming now. No! it is
only he"
was followed by a momentary darkening
of the open door of the cabin. 1t was the
tall figure of the mountaineer. But he did
not even make the pretense of entering;
standing at the door he delivered his news
to the interior generally. 1t was to the
ERECT tina everything was ready, and the
two other men we've even then Harvesting
the horses. Then(he drew back into the
Papa" said Amy, in a sudden, fright
ened voice. I've lost my bracelet!'
Haven't you dropped it somewhere there
In the bunk?" asked her father.
NO. It's on the floor of the wagon.
remember now it fell off when / tumbled.
And it will be trodden upon and crushed!
Couldn't you run down, ahead of me, and
warn them papa, dear? Mr.. Tenbrook will
have to go SO slowly with me-" She tum-
bled out of the bunk with singular alacrity.
shook herself and her skirts into instanta-
neous gracefulness and fitted the velvet
cap on her straying hair. Then she SAID
hurriedly: Run quick, papa, dear, and
You go, call him in and say l am quite
ready
Thus adjured. the ohedient parent disap-
peared in the darkness. With him also dis
appeared Miss Amy's singular alacrity.
Sitting down carefully again on the edge
of the bunk, she leaned against the post
with certain indetinable languor that was
as touching as it was graceful. i need no;
tell any feminine readers that there was
no discrimination in all thiS-no coquetry,
no ostentaton-and that the young girl
was perfectly sincere. But the mas
ouline reader might like to know that
the simple fact was that, since she had
"eeained consciousness, she had been filed
with remorse for her caPr:cious and ungen-
orous rejection of Tenbrook's proffered
service. More than that. she felt she had
perled her life in that moment of folly:
and that this Elana4this hero--had saved
her For here he was, even if he did not
fulfill her ideal-it was only she that was
not a heroine. Perhaps if he had been
more like what she wished she would have
felt this less keenly:Ilove makes little room
for the exercise of moral ethics. So Miss
Amy Forester being a good girl at bottom.
aid not exactly loving this man. felt to-
ward him a frank and tender considcra ton
which more romantic person would have
shrunh frcm showing. Consequently, when
Tenbrook entered a moment later, he found
Amy paler and more thoughtful, but, as he
fGncicu before in
up at him with eyes of the sincerest soloci-
tude.
Nevertheless, he remained standing near
the door. as if indicating possible intru-
sion. his face wearing a look of lowering
abstraction. 1t struck her that this nigh
be the effect of his long hair and general
CncouthneSS and this only Spurred her to
a fuller recognition of his other qualities.
Il am afr aid" she began. with a charm
ing embarrassment, that instead of rest
Ing satisfied with your kindness in carry
ing me up here, ] will have to burden you
again with my dreadful weakness, and ask
seems SO little after what you have just
done-and for which l can never never
hope to thank you!'' She clasped her two
little hands together, holding her gloves be-
tween, and brought them down upon her
lap in gesture prettily helpless as il
vas unaffected.
II have dore scarcely anything" he said,
glancing away toward the fire "and-youI.
ia Their has thanked me-.
You have saved my life"
No! nor he said quickly. Not that,
You were In no danger, except from nv
rifle. had 1 missed
Il see." she said. eagerly, with a little
posthumous thrill of having been after all
kind of heroine. land it was a wonderful
shot, for You were SO careful not to touch
me-"
please don't say any more" he said.
with a slight movement of half awkward
ness, half impatence. 1T was rough job,
but it's over now
He stopped and chafed his red hands alb
stractedly together. She could see that he
had evidently just washed them-and the
glazing ring was more in evidence than
ever. But the thought gave her an inspira-
ton.
you'll at least let me shake hands with
you! she said, extending both her own
with childish frankness.
HOLD on, Miss Forester" he said with
sudden desperation. 1T amt the square
thing! Look here! 1 can't play this thing
on you'll can't let you play 1t on me any
longer! You wasn't in any danger-you
never were! That bear was only a half
wild thing 1 helped to rar myself! It's
taken sugar from my hand night after
night at the door of this cabin as it might
have taken 1t from yours here If it was
alive now. 1t slept night after night in the
brush, not fifty yards away. The morn
ing's never came yet-till now" he said.
hastily, to cover an odd break in his
voice. when 1t didn't brush along the
whole side of this cabin to kinder wake me
up and say so long afore it browsed away
into the canon There amt man olonr