The Florence daily tribune., 1898-03-26

To get him quiet in his room before we
let him know anything" Already the
anxious young physician had been tote
that Mrs. Merriam was probably 81
miles away, aud his soul was wrung at
the thought of what that would mean
to his patient.
"Yes, lie down. Randy, tin we get you
indoors" urged Grafton. We've had
to put up a gnme ON Mrs. Randy-(God
forgive me the lie" he praycd). "Know.
ing how anxious You were and we were
lest she should be shocked, we--kepi
her away Mrs. Hayne and DR. Gould
are looking out for her. She's not to be
allowed to come near You Till we pct
you safe and sound and hathed and all
fixed up in bed. or course we know
now, RaEdy-NNc didn't before. hrt Mrs.
llayue had TO tell my wife how careful
we have to be OF her--now, and really,
old hoy. she ougbtn't TO see you tin
you're wnshed and dressed. You look
tough, Rardy."
Aud Though the face he longed to see
as they bore him up the steps was miles
and miles away, Merriam stifled his own
disappointment and bfavely thanked
them. ~Gcd bless you and Mrs. Graf
ton! That was indeed thoughtful of
you. old boy" he gasped, for pain was
wrenching him. aud he gave a long, long
sigh of relief when n; las; he was lifted
from the stretcher TO bed in the spare
room.
but that sigh was faint whisper as
compared with The long, long breath
that Grafton drew, as he sat him down
in the adjoining room and mopped his
streaming forehead.
Col. Buxton and others---all the on
GERS, almost--feli bound to come TO the
house between stables and retreat. iust
TO see how landy WAS getting on, but
the answer was the same To one and al.
No one was 10 be admitted, for The doc.
tor was trying TO get him to sleep"
And surely enough, bathed. re.
freshed. his arm sctand dressed. Rand,
soon fornd himself slowed away in
soft, white bed. but oh, SO weak ant
drowsy after all the labor of the CHASE
and the long, long day of lacking pain
They We're 10 bring Florence to him
now, his wife, his darling. iinpatienth
waiting for the summons, MS lie thought
stretching out his arms to her--his one
available arm, rather, and fondly muir
inuring her name, when the weary eve.
lids closed und, numb and impoteni. he
diifted away into deep,Tdeep sIuniber
There" said the doctor, at last,
hell do now"
".Nye.' murmured Grafton. but what
will the waking be If there's no Flor
cnce here to-morrow?'
That WAS an anxious night at Sedg-
wick. Merriam slept like the dend and
twice the young doctor feared 1t might
lie necessary TO rouse him, thinking
that perhaps he had sent that tiny sho,
Of his hyrade.nic syringe with toe
heavy a charge. Bot so long as Randy
WAS ignotaut of his wife's mad osca-
pade he would have slept through sheer
exhaustion and weafiness, and his ply.
sieian need not have troubled himself.
Twice Grafton tiptoed in. and The hos
p!tai attendant arose al his coming and
reported that the patient had not
stirred
Over ut Grafton's quarters. however.
they had to deal with less tractablc
creature. Fanny McLane had reused
from her swoon and was neryousiy. ex-
citabiy, iFritahly wide awake. de
manflins actually to be allowed TO se,,
Nr. Merriam. Even Annette was sem
ont of the room and Mrs. Grafton haN
her FREUD and guest to herself. and hei
tears ard prayers, her reproaches and
imprecations fell on hardened ears.
Mrs Grafton WIS adamant
at is mad folly to talk of such n
thing, Fanny she replied to every as
sault. "Mr. Merriam is far too serious
~ injured to see anybody. much less
you. who would importune him for your
own selfish purposes. Capt. Grafton
says the doctor has forbidden him to
everybody, and he knows. In the morn
ing Capt. Grafton will see him for you
ii the doctor viii permit"
Whcreat the widow only stormed the
more and declared. with hysteric tears.
that they were keeping her away from
Randy Merriam out of spite and hatred
Just AT the most critical time. Hell
die. he'll die" she cried, ''and carry my
one safeguard with him to the grave"
sorely puzzled. Mrs Grafton had to
leave her once in awhile for i few min
utcs nj time to consult her husband.
who could frequently be heard moving
about the parlor or going quickly in
and ont OF the house. II was plain that
Grafton was troubled about something
lie sides Randy. and at IL O'Clock the sN-
PLANTATION came.
Up TO sundown Florenee-Mrs. Mer-
had not been seen or heard of at
Jose's ranch.
One Of the trailers, Rafferty, by name.
declared tha, Aiignon's tracks turned
suddenly 10 the norihwari and lcs, away
from the ranch aad into the maze of
foothills 10 the right of the cansopment
trail. Al suadown they had reached
Jose's, siill hoping against hope ,sat
she would be there, but no sisn OF her
had eeen seen, and. borrowing a fresh
horse, Rafferty, started back TO Seng-