The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1901-08-14

She forced the end betqoee,. has lips
shots had been pouring on her in the
midst of a battle, but, with the rapid
skill and strength she had acquired
long before she reached the place, lift
ed aside first one, then another, Of the
lifeless Arabs that had fallen above
him and drew out from beneath the
suffocating pressure Of his horses
weight the head and the frame Of the
chasseur whom Flick Flack had sought
out and guarded.
For a moment she thought him dead.
Then, as she drew him out where the
cool breeze of the declining day could
reach him, a slow breath. painfully
drawn. moved his chest She saw that
he was unconscious from the sitting
oppression under which he had been
buried since noon An hour more with
out one touch of fresher air and life
would have been extinct.
Cigarette had with her the flask Of
brandy that she always brought on
such errands as these. She forced the
end between his lips and poured some
INV LIS LII 2lduJ SuOOAa
slightly as she did so. a weakness the
gallant little campo igner never before
then had known.
q Itrevived him in a degree. He breath
ed more freely. though heavily and
with difficulty still, but gradually the
desthly leaden color of his face was
replaced by the hue of life and his
heart began to beat more loudly. Con-
seriousness did not return to him. He
lay motionless and senseless. with his
head resting on her lap and with Flick
F'lack. in eager affection, licking his
hands and his hair.
..He was as good as dead. Flick
me-" said Cigarette. while she Wetted
his lips with more brand J. s Al, bah!
And he would be more grateful. Flick
Flack, for a scornful scott from mi-
lali. 5 +
Still. though she thought this, she let
his head lie on her lap. and as she
looked down on him there was the glis-
ten as of tears in the brave. sunny
eyes of the little Friend of the Flag.
He is so handsome so handsome!''
she muttered in her teeth. drawing a
silklike lock Of his hair through her
hands and looking at the stricken
strength, the powerless limbs, the bare
chest. cut and bruised and heaved pain
fully By each uneasy breath. She was
of q vivid. voluptuous, artistic nature
she was thoroughly Womanlike in her
passions and her instincts. though she
so fercely condemned WGmanhood Ii
[ he had not been beautiful. she would
never have looked twice at him. never
once have pitied his fate.
And he was beautiful still, though
his hair was heavy with dew and dust,
though his face was scorched with.
powder. though his eyes: were closed.
as with the leaden weight Of death and
his beard was covered with the red
stains Of blood that had flowed from
the lance wound on his shoulder.
The restless movements of little
Flick Flack detached a piece of Irvine
passed around his favorite's throat: l.
the glitter of gold arrested Cigarettes
eyes. She caught WI hat the poodle's inn
patient caress had broken from the
string. was a small blue enamel me-
dallion bonbon box with a hole through
it By which it had been slunga tiny
toy once costly, now furnished, for It.
had been carried through many rough.
scenes and many years OF hardship,
had been bent BY blows struck at the.
breast against which it rested, and
was clothed now with blood Inside tt
was q woman's ring Of sapphires and
opals. Sss
3 She looked at both close ID the glow
of the setting sun, then passed the
string through and fastened the box
afresh. It was q. mere trife, but II