Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1901-12-13

!
very good of you. But don't be-
heve could eat mouthful."
"You must" she insisted. "You
are getting better now, but you
won't gain strength until you begin
to cat. We mustn't let you starvc
yourself"
There isn't much danger of that,
is there?' queried. 81 ate a very
| hearty dinner, as I remember it,"
She made the pillows comfortable
and sat down at the bedside to hold
the imprevised tray. "When was
that?" she asked.
To-day; two or three hours be-
fore l started out to ride up the val
ley"
Her smile was cordial in itself.
Mature is kind to us-sometimes.
You have suffered dreadfully, and
have been very near to death with
out realizing it. Your hearty dinner
was eaten just three weeks ago to-
day"
1t was blankly incredible, and I
said so.
1T is true. It was brain fever, the
doctor says. You have been deliri-
Gus all the time when you haven't
been unconscious"
"The doctor, you say? didn't
know there was one in the valley"
There isn't. But Mr.. Macpherson
brought DR.. Raynor up from the fort.
and has kept him here ever snce.' I
had eaten half of the toast slice and
was reaching for the other half. She
gave 1t to me. "That is right; it will
do you good"
THAT IL just like Mac" say.
"There Is no end to his good-heart-
| edness."
NO" She said it frankly, and if
there were the faintest flush of self
consciousness to go with it, the light
was too poor to betray her.
1t is net to be expected that man
who had just lost three weeks is the
chaos OF delirium should be wholly
responsible, and said: at must have
been sore trial to him not to be
able to come here to see me-"
Her straight brows went up in a
little arch Of surprise, and there was
an alarm signal setting itself in the
frank eyes.
mot to be able to come here? He
has watched with you every night"
l saw nay blunder and was not too
far gone to try to retrieve it.
II didn't know" I said. ~ thought
the trouble between him and Setter
might keep him away"
She smiled again. There was re.
lief in it this time, and the alarm
signal in the eyes Of serenity took
flight.
"Your illness has been blessing in
disguise" she said; 1.-The trouble be.
tween them was growing day by day
but Mr.. Macpherson's coming here SC
much has given them a chance to ar
rive at better understanding.
Their interests are identical, when all
is said"
eyes; but understood that Setter
had gone over to the enemy" said L
HE did sell his water-right to the
land company; but he is sorry for
that now. Mr.. Macpherson has shown
him what the result will be; that he
will presently have to buy water OF
the company, at the company's price
Shall l bring you another cup OF
tea?"
NO, thank you. But tell me more
about"
| She shook her head with great de
cision. Not any more tonight. BY
and by, when you are stronger, Mr.
Macpherson will tell you all about
it,
"Will Mac be here to-night?"
II presume so; yes, certainly he
will come. Can I do anything more
for you?"
Her presence was SO restful that
tried to think of some pretext for de.
tanning her. Since none offered,
was reluctantly constrained to bio
her goodnight, and l did it with q
firm resolve to stay awake long
enough to question Macpherson when
he should come. But when she was
gone, the opiate in the low hum Of
voices from below stairs struck
hands with weakness, and I slept
slept SO soundly that I knew not
when Macpherson came or went; anG
it was late the following evening
when I awoke out of doze to finc
the master of the ranch at my bed
side.
His greeting was large-hearted
with a little ouayer OF gratitude IL
the voicing of it.
"By jove! old man; thought 70,
were going to make die of 1t II
spite of u.s." he said, and his eye
were suspiciously bright. GLOW ar,
you feeling?- bit stronger and bet
ter?"
I'm coming on all right. I thinl
I've slept most of the time for Q
hours--or is it another three weeks? 2
There was heartening in hi
laugh, NO, it's only day this time
But you mustn't talk. Doctors ar
bad people to run up against"
eff l can't talk, you'll have to
When l dropped out-or rather in
we We're about to take up arm
against sea OIL troubles. flece on
the story for me and I'll be as quie
as a lamb. Otherwise I shall hav
a query-fit and run my temperatur
up. What has happened in my TEN
porary absence?"
Macpherson laughed again. g!
whole lot of things have happened
Setter has seen the error of his way
and is mad-slow-mad like an Indiar
and after somebody's scalp-Wy