Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-12-22

The Gulch with Nellie's doll. You can do
it, Nancei You can do it, God will help
you to do it, Nance o God, if you will
help Nance to beat these cutthroats will
be a better boy. i will write home and l
will never touch another card. Only help
Nance to get there with Nellie's doll"
He repeated this prayer over and over,
and he believed they were slowly leaving
their pursuers. IL was no more than a
mile now to the third and last ford. If he
could beat them there he did not believe
they would dare to cross.
1--WE are going to do it, Nance" he muir
INJURED, and then suddenly from behind
came two sharp reports on the night The
Kid felt his right shoulder shrink with a
fierce pain for a moment and grow numb.
"Nancel o Nance, they have shot me!'
he moaned. "The towards have shot me"
The mare had bounded forward at the
shots and was now running wildly.
"Keep it up Nance-keep it up. I'll
hang on if can. o God, help me to hang
onl"
He wound his hands to the saddle with
the bride rein and pulled the end through
tight with his teeth Then he leaned for
ward and closed his eyes, for he was grow
ing faint. Presently he felt the mares
fore feet plunge downward, and a moment
later the cold water was once more about
his legs. They had reached the last ford.
"Head up stream, Nance, head up
stream old girl, f" he murmured family, and
then the night and the roar of the water,
and the sound of distant hoofs whirled and
mingled and blended into blackness and ST.
lence.
The Carson cabin was a few hundred
yards from the Red Light, ON the Green
! Valley road. A group of men were gath
cred about its humble door, waiting. Wait
ing for dawn, waiting for the word that
came now and then from the little fever
wasted girl within, waiting for the splash
of hoofs that would announce the Kids re-
turn. They had been there since 3 O'Clock.
The rain had ceased and the sky was al
most clear. They talked little and in whis-
pers, and when DR.. Dick came out and
spoke to them they hung upon his words.
1t was after O'Clock now and the world
was getting gray. Some of the men arose
at times, and walked as far as the edge of
the woods to listen. They returned silent
ly, and then others would go and also re-
! turn.
HE ought to be comm by now, said
Stag, who had scarcely spoken before. Its
a mighty bad road, but Nance could get
| Y
too high SOS they-sos they couldn't get
across, though, o. course, they'd try it, That
Kid and Nance 'ud try anything"
This was the first suggestion that any one
had made aloud that perhaps the Kid might
not return, and it cast an added gloom over
the silent group. Dr. Dick came to the
door just then. He stood outside, listen
ing anxiously.
''She is between life and death, he whis-
pered. "She is likely to wake any moment
now. If only the boy would comel" Then
he went back and there was another time
of silence and hungry waiting. By and by
the door opened more quickly than usual
and he stepped out again.
''She is waking" he whispered. "If the
boy doesn't come now it win be too late"
He peered down the dim road, listening
intently. The morning was very still, and
the least sound could be heard All at once
from the edge of the woods there came a
call It was from two men who had walked
down the road to listen.
"He's comingl" they called "We can
hear the hoofsl"
The men leaped to their feet and listened
Far down the road somewhere in the
} woods, they could hear the sound, too. Slae
, ran few steps forward.
, ''That's Nance" he exclaimed, under
his breath, 81 know her gaitl"
D They saw the two men returning on th'
1 run, and then, out of the woods behinC
them came the horse. She passed then
r and came straight to Stag, who had stepped
+ forward to meet her She was mass o
a mud, and upon her back there hung anoth
d er mud covered object that made no move
ment or sound.
: 'Kldl Kidlp said Whiskers, shaking him
Q "are you asleepi Did you bring the dolll
Q There was no answer. Then they SAL
o that his hands were bound to the saddle