The Delta independent. [volume] (Delta, Colo.) 1886-19??, 1897-06-16

''Oh. then there's no hope for me.
said i. grumpiIy. However. shall
be back in an hour or two. I'm expect.
ing Dr.. Banks to call for my report
of the case, and he may appear before
my return. II he does. will you kindly
ask him 70 wait for me? Then. too, il
Jones condescends to drive up with
his load of gravel. and you happen t.
speak to him. please be SO good an to
tell him that I should like to see him. .
"If yon care to wait little" she an
swerd, I'VE may interview him to
gether. The team il in sight now
Looking along the track toward the
house Of the knoll. saw Mrs. Weston's
horses jogging homeward ut trot,
which indicated that the wagon they
drew could not be loaded very heavily.
where's the irivcr?" Miss Gray
asked. do you see him."
mo, / DON'T raid I. 'Quiet as the
team il, II must have got away from
him."
One OF the boys ran up to the ap-
preaching horses and stopped them.
We could see him pick up the reins
from the ground. examine the wagon.
and clirub to the seat. By the time
he drove up to US Mrs. Weston. Mrs.
Clark. and one or two others had Joined
the group. and Mrs. Loring. who looked
down from the window Of her room.
Dorothy! Dorotby!" she called out.
''tell me, tell me, has anything hap
pened? anything terrible? Where.
oh. where is the mani Il he dead i?
IL he killed. Oh, Dorothy, I'm sure he
must bel"
Don't be alarmed. Mrs. Loripg." said
!, saving her niece the trouble Of ex-
planning that nobody knew more about
the matter than she did. '"The horses
have probably started for home while
Jones' eye was OF them. No doubt
he'll be along in an hour or So"
She tried to ask more questions. but
no one took the time 70 answer them.
All Of us were busily inspecting the
wagon and its xteesis. The convey
ance was loaded to perhaps a quarter of
its capacity. One Of the movable side
boards WIS gone, but that was the limit
Of damage.
Its all plain enough" said T. "The
horses became homesick and trotted
of, very possibly while Jones, not sat
isfied with the gravel he had found.
was prospecting for better. He'll lie
here in time for supper, with q splendid
appetite from his tramp"
II guess that's about IT," said Mrs.
Weston, with sigh Of relief. "But it's
queer. must say. Night - well count
II day wasted"
"which II q sin-in New England"
I whispered to Miss Gray. Como.
now. can't you change your mind?'
She smiled and shook her head.
Climbing into the buggy, I drove Oft,
wishing her aupt's tens and social Oh
in Tophet, md trying to resign
myself To . dul! afternoon. The bay
appeared &c be unusually slothful. but
I let him choose his own pace. and away
we dawdled toward our destination.
The sufferer proved to be convalescing
satisfactorily, hut the doctors visit
was an event of importance. and half
N Asnx passsd hsfose could get away
froo the sick room. Then came allow
proRrens back TO the Weston residence.
A. drove up to II, Miss Gray emerged
from my ONCE, caught sight Of me. and
called 10 somc one within. A moment
later Dr.. Banks followed her. and hur-
Fi0d out TO the road.
"For Gods sake, Morris, come in rs
quick a. you can," he cried. There's
been terrible piece Of business"
Reassurcd as 10 Dorothy Grny's safety
by the sight of her, md therefore ready
TO deal couragcously with the misfor-
tune Of anybody else, rprnng to the
ground and followed Banks into the Of
hce. There on q lounge lay Jones,
his face ashen pale, his eyes closed. and
great beads OF sweat on his forehead;
his breathing was heavy and sterto-
rous, and broken by low Doans. His
right boot and the leg Of his trousers
had been cut away, revealing the limb
crushed from the knee down into
terrible wreck Of bone and muscle.
with . Jagged fragment Of the tibia pro-
trudinG from the skin.
Banks eyes caught mine for an In
slant; both of us read the meaning Of
the look we exchanged.
'No alternative" said he.
ssThs sooner the better" added.
Tho senior glanced at his disa bied
arm.
This puts Inc out Of H." said he,
s'cxcept as may manage TO administer
the annesthetic. Have you ever con-
Quoted such IN operation?"
"Nevcr. saw plenty Of the sort In
my stndent days, hut since then-wcll.
Eve never pretended 70 be . surgeon,
you understand"
sNor, 70 tell the truth. have ]. In.
fact, I've always hated to see the knife
used. But there's no question here
LET us send TO Bassctvillc for Fow-
Ter. I've heard he's n clever operator
'He Ia: the idea had already sug-
rested itself TO me. But IL will mean
four or five hours-perhaps more. And