The Florence daily tribune. (Florence, Colo.) 1898-1903, 1898-04-28
CHAPTER VI
A TRIP INTO THE COUNTRY.

ing charge Of the health Of the settle
nIent tho last patient was discharged
from tho hospital. cured. Out of 1876
cases treated 1888 had recovered. Tho
rest lay in the little s-z=eyard on the
hillside to the eastward OF the town. 1t
had been weary. harassing time from
beginning to end, and the strain and re-
sponsibility had had q more severe effect
upon mo than should have anticipated.
Allie alone, of all the workers, seemed
untouched. Her indomitable will would
not permit her body to know such
thing us fntigue. and for this reason the
last day Of our work found her powers
as keen and her energy as unabated as
they had been ON the first.
On the afternoon of the day following
the discharge of my last patient she
came into the surgery. and seating her
self in my armchair looked about her
with that interest my medical affairs
always seemed TO inspire in her
DIR. De Normanville, she began,
clasping her little white hands together
on the arm of the chair. II have boon
watching you lately. and have como
to the conclusion that you are thorough.
ly tired out. There is hut one cure for
that-rest and complete change of cir
and scene.
And pray what makes you suppose
l am worn out?' asked. wiping "a pair
of forceps that had been using ON
native boy five minutes before and put
ting them back into their case
Tho color of your face for one
thing, she answered. "nnd tho way
You move about for another Your APP
petite. have also noticed. has BET
gradually falling off of late. No, it
won't do My friend. you have been so
good TO us that we should be worse than
ungrateful if we allowed You to get i'll.
&c. without consulting you, | huve ur-
ranged a little holiday for you.'
THAT is very kind of you" said
And pray what is it to beg''
Il will tell you. You arc an enthu-
siastio botanist and entomologist, sre
you notr Very well, then. This islai A
abounds with unolassitied flora and
fauna. l will have an expedition fitted
out today, and tomorrow morning we
will leave the settlement and plunge
into the interior expect weeks ab-
sence from worry will work u wonder
iNA NAtAbCO Ab ikNbs VIZ IL
try it. What have you to say to my
proposition?'
II should like it above oil things"
answered eagerly. And. indeed, apart
from the scientific chances it would
afford me. a trip anywhere in her COM
pany could not be anything else than
delightful
Having gained her point. she roso to
go.
Il may consider it settled. l sup.
pose?' she said AT daybreak tomor-
row morning we are to mount our po-
MES in the square down yonder and set
off. You need not bother about rifles or
any impedimenta of that kind. | will
SEQ that you are well provided.
So saying, she withdrew, and l saw
no more of her that day. The rest of the
afternoon l spent in preparing my speci-
men boxes for the trip, and when
sought my couch at night it was to
dream of birds and beetles of the most
glorious coloring, size and variety.
True to our arrangement. day break
next morning found me, booted and
spurred. striding toward the village
square. Early as was at the rendez-
yous, Allie was there before me, mount
ed on neat bay pony, and evidently
awaiting my coming She wished me
good morning" and then pointed to
the group of pack horses standing at
little distance in charge of half dozen
men.
We shall not want for provisions
during our travels, she said, with
happy laugh, and as she did SO she sign
ed to one of her attendants to lead up
pony she had reserved for my use
''The cook and his staff. - she oontin-
ued, have gone on ahead Of us to pre-
pare our breakfast, SO now if you are
ready we'll start. +"
The order to march was thereupon
given, and we Immediately SCI off up
the mountain track.
When the first half dozen miles were
overcome, the aspect of the country be-
gan to change. 1t became more open,
and we continually emerged from tim
Der on to highly grassed plains, where
pig and deer Of many kinds were to be
seen feeding plaoidly. Toward clock
the trend of the country lay upward and
continued so until we had mounted to
considerable elevation, when an extern
sive panorama was unfolded before us.
The island must indeed have been
large one if it could be judged by the
extensive views we had presented to us
of it. Only on the settlement side could
see the sea, while on the other the
forest rolled away as far as the eye could
reach.
A little before shutdown Allie inform
ed me that we were Close upon our des-
tination. And surely enough, just as
the orb of day disappeared behind the
tee tops, we saw before us, on small
plateau, four or five large and exceed
ingly comfortable huts which the men
who had preceded us that morning had
erected for our accommodation. They
a,-I ~.