Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1901-09-19
CHAPTER X.
ONE MANS IDEA OF GOOD LUCK.

Despite Surgeon Thompson's optim-
istic prediction, the patient did not ad-
vance directly to recovery. On the
contrary, during the succeeding night
the fever rose to perilous height and
in the morning, visiting the ward" as
she called it. Lois found him delirious
and babbling of strange things. She
was too used to this febrile manifesto
ton to be disturbed by it, though
Qurino seemed half out of his few
wits, but left some directions for the
application of cooling appetite and
thence to her work in the school-room
Getting through the lessons was more
of task tran usual because childish
curiosity had to be satisfied twenty
times over, and it needed exertion or
all of her authority to prevent "Toddy'
and "Miggs" rushing away to listen to
the rawlings of the "robber." Now and
then the strong voice of the sick man
rose high and faint sound OF it came
to them through the massive adobe
walls. At such times "Palomita" clung
the more closely to her.
That afternoon the smuggler's men
tai wanderings became less violent. He
still muttered occasionally. but was
otherwise quiet In stupor Quirino, ex-
hausted slept heavily in chair and
Lois was near the bed reclining in a
rocker and ready to battle the hot fore
head Weston had been lying without
motion for a half hour, when he open
ed his eyes suddenly and she found him
looking at her intently. He half rails
ed his head from the damp pillow, and
said in a matter of fact voice:
1T was a straight shot at two hun
bred yards. The man must have eyes
like a cats"
Yes" she said, STOPPING forward to
change a cloth upon his forehead and
speaking soothingly, thinking that rea-
son had returned. Doubtless 1t was
accidental"
He threw up a large muscular. but
finely shaped hand, and caught her
wrist with a clasp Of steel 1t seemed
to her that the bone would shiver. She
bit her lips to restrain an cutlery and
looked into his flushed face steadily
II say" he repeated loudly, 1T was a
straight shot at two hundred yards
The man must have eyes like cats. .
He dropped her wrist and turned up.
on his side with his face to the wall
Where his fingers had pressed were
long white marks. She had grown pale
and her arm was numb, then rising
went from the room. Eyes like a
cat S." she murmured as she went to-
ward the front of the house. eyes like
cat's," Where have | heard some
thing like that before? 1t wakes some
memory. What is it,"
Like a flash came her remembrance
Of her night stroll with Maude, the
enlargement OF his black pupils and
his statement of his inherited ability
to see well in dim light So" she
murmured "the shot was fired by him
| suppose he had the right, but it seems
cruel"
Sitting outside, on an understood
dust-covered bay pony, was Allyn. He
had a polo club in his hand and q
scratch on his cheek from a fall He
was In high good humor and had rid.
den up after the game to dress for din.
ner. He threw the reins to Mexican
as his feet touched the ground. and
called out with laugh
Beat EN- badly this time, Miss Lois
Secretary Bill here pointing to the
draggled pony, SIS wonder--a child
phenom
"Yes?" was the reply. You know
always like you to win, Allyn. | wan,
to ask you a question
ASK a dozen II you like" he re.
sponded, seating himself on the steY
and whacling his dusty boot with his
club. I'm your encyclopedia, you
know"
How vas the man inside hurt. and
who hurt him ?"
Allyn's pleasant face became grave.
Its not good TO talk about" he said
why do you want to know"
lie is delirious and has been saying
queer things about it"
We'll" said Allyn. settling himself
resignedly, you know that you al.
ways get whatever you want from me
| s'pose it's because I'm your brother
though my sisters back in England
didn't have any such fortune. You see
il was this way We chased the beg
CARS to the river and they splasbec
over ahead II us OF course we couldn't
lU44fH lI'lE pfhANHff VI Auf "a " NJ w
stopped on this bank. The fellow in
the room yonde.'-hes a well pluckec
one must say--was ia the rear OF the
smueglers.. and checked his horse neal
10 the other side Intending 10 fight u;
II ve came over We could just see tht
black blur Of him against the opposite
bank A man IN our front slipped T.
the ground and fred. saw only tht
fash of the powder. The smugglei
fellow fell into fhs river. and two oI
the niggers jumped in. chased hin
down stream and haulcd him out r
keen him from drowning The mar
who fred was Maude Il seemed rath
ar a cowardly and cruel thing to do
don't you know. seeing that the poor
fellow was Ia the line Of his duty. az b.
saw 1t. and was defcnsclc less. Harding
didn't like II, and told Maude so;
admit Ike IL and told him so"
TIE hazel eyes Of the sirl bad growr
luminous snd tender Uuconsciously
her hard wandered in s!sterly fashion
10 tho cloge-cropped hair Of the younl
Ergiishnan II seemed TO her that sh,
was ages elder han be, as, indeed--ir
All saYe yeara-she VAS