The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1896-12-03
6lyS7s?RRANsE
) 81
RAzflEffT.
BY NilIomTN,ehoI,
lCopyrest 1905. BY j. B. uppIncou Col
XIN.-CoNTINrrn,

Stable. Mile a1tCr mile Silppeu Denlnu
them. Soon the halfway house Joined
the procession TO the rear. 1t was
growing dusk now, and the air was
chilly. Her wrists were beginning
10 ache under the pull of the lines, and
the thought came TO her that perhaps
she stood in greater need than her horse
Of breathing spell. She tried to pull
him in the next rise. but instead of
Stacking his pace he increased it. In
vain she tugged and sawed at the bit;
the bay was out of her control, and
knew il as well as she did. He was trot-
ting as she had never seen him trot be-
fore, with the blood Ola dozen genera
tions of picked roadsters coursing hot
II; his veins. just ahead she made
out the dark mass of wood through
which the road passed. An instant
later she was flying along under the
tunnel-liloe arch where the boughs of
the trees met above the travelled way.
In the gloon 'of this passage She could
make out little of the road, though
she leaned from the buggy in the effort
TO see what might be her course. Then
the wood was left behind, and about
utT WIS lIt wv Wight Vi lllC open cOuH-
try, seeming almost bright by com
parisun with the tangle of shadows
through which she had sped. The bay,
untiring. but with fleclls of foam show
ing here and there on his coat was
trotting with the smooth precision of
n machine. 1t was glorious to watch
him. to hear the sharp beat of his
hoofs. Powerless as she was, the eN-
lilaration of the race took possession
of her: she caught herself encourage
ing the animal with her voice; she
forgot the pain in her wrists, the very
real danger in which she was placed.
She thrilled with delight as she flashed
by a wagon whose occupant had pru-
denty driven into the ditch to afford
her a clear right of way. He called
out a warning to her, but, though she
heard his voice, the words were indis-
tinguishable.
At last she was at the summit of the
ridge looking down upon the beach,
and her destination was close at hand.
Again she sawed and tugged at the
lines. Slowly her efforts told; gradual
ly the bays speed decreased, until as
he neared the farmhouse, she had him
well in hand. Mrs. Weston, one of her
boys, Mrs. Clark and two or three chill
dren were awaiting her at the gate,
all eager to learn the result, of her mis-
sion. DR.. Banks and i were close be-
lind them, and, as the horse came to
a stop, we pushed our way to the side
of the buggy.
You've made wonderful time" 1
cried.
Where's Fowler? is he following
you?" asked Banks.
'Ile can't be here for six or eight
hours" she said, quietly. 'But here
is a ease of instruments"
Banks and l looked at each other,
appalled, by the news.
DR. Fowler is in Trent" the girl
went on. "Ile is expected home al mid
night. 1t is arranged that if you need
him then, n message shall be sent to
him"
With his sound hand Banks lifted
the case from the buggy.
This is serious, very" he said in my
ear. eve can't wait for him; it's out
of the question. Join me in your office
as quickly as you can.
I nodded and turned to assist Miss
Cray to the ground. Young Weston led
the horse away.
Come" said to the girl, '"you must
have some supper. By the looks of the
horse, us well as the clock, l can see
that you've taken nobody's dust on the
road. You must tell me all about it
after awhile"
II was in BASKERVILLE hardly 40 min
watch. "But how is he? Have you
any more hope?" Esd
'He is doing as well as anything hui
man could after such a crushing and
mangling, but our opinion is not
changed"
She left me and walked away slowly
and dispiritedly. The reaction after
the excitement of her ride was already
upon her. Almost as depressed inspirit
as she, / made my way to the office.
Banks had opened the case and was
inspecting its contents. The room, in
expectation of Fowler's arrival. had
been prepared for the operation.
.'It is fortunate she brought these,
Morris" said Banks. I'm afraid my
old tools would have answered poorly.
What a head she must have on her
shoulders TO have thought of borrowing
the ease! She is a noble woman. Nor
ris. woman in ten thousand"
Indeed she is.'
BEST get to work at once" Banks
added Come, are you ready?"
AS Banks had said. the hope of the
patients recovery rested on his sturdy
constitution. Since his removal to the
house Jones had had several intervals
of consciousness. although for the most
part he lay in a state of semstupor.
More than once / caught the word "mis-
taken" in his rambling talk, when the
fog cleared away from his brain, and
the memory of Lamar's enigmatic OBJ
servation flashed upon me; but it was
no time to speculate upon the coinci-
dence.
Banks was at the injured mans head,
ready 10 apply the chloroform.
You'll need an assistant, Norris"
said he. "Get somebody who can be
depended upon TO keep his senses and
hand you the right thing when you call
for it. Who is availabie?"
There were two or three wile-eyed
faces against the window-panes, but