River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1901-10-10

| ?edro and Filipe, but when they
reached him Dixon still lay helpless.
They carried him carefully to the
ranch house, a low stone cabin daubed
with adobe soil, and gave him into the
care of Juana, the old mahaly who did
everything about the house for Fer
nando that his vaquero-daughter
scorned
The nearest settlement was three
leagues away, and when at last the
doctor came he looked at Dixon and
shook his head But his verdict was a
meaningless combination of words to
Tiges unframed ears until she caught
the words, 'paralyzed, he'll never
move hand or foot again"
"Dixon paralyzed!" Over and over
She repeated the words, hell never
move hand or foot again!" and as she
dashed out of the house, sprang into
Dixons saddle, and galloped furious
ly across the plains, the words rang
through her brain with every hoof-
beat. AS she rode wildly onward,
squirting her horse into a run, she
grasped more clearing the import of
those awful words, 'Dixon paral-
yzed!" until turning homeward, heart
sick and exhausted, Tige threw her
arms around Breakers neck and under
cover of the darkness wept like a girl
Juana, who held an open animosity
toward the gringo, performed all her
services with disappearing grunts, so
il was Tige upon whom the care of
The injured man devolved. Divested of
hat and jacket, she watched beside
him, waited upon him, sang to him,
losing her rudy color and growing
van-eyed from the close confinement
in the house. And Dixon, his great
length laid low, his powerful frame
helpless as a little child's, lay month
after month hopelessIy inert.
And finally it was springtime again.
The birds came back, the colors
glowed on the prairies, the sun was
warm and bright as if nothing had
happened. One day Dixon lay watch
ing Tige sitting demurely in the door
way. Her name of hair was tucked
up primly, excepting the few rebel
lious locks that would not be con-
trolled, her color was subdued to
delicate flush, and when she turned to-
ward him all the daredevil light was
gone out of her eyes.
"Do you love me, Tiger" he asked,
gently, knowing only too well now
what the answer would be. All these
long months Dixon had watched the
change his illness had wrought in the
girl-the gentler footsteps, the soft
or tones, the thoughtfulness in hun
dred nameless little ways, until at
last the vaquero was wholly lost in
the woman. Then Dixon, because he
was a man, every inch, grew more
and more determined on his course
with every new evidence of her love.
with all my heart, and with all
my soul, and with all my strength"
she repeated, reverently, not realizing
she was fulfilling the law toward Dix
on instead of her Creator; but there
was no halfway possible to her-she
either loved or hated, and that with
all her strength of her impetuous ma
ture.
Then nerying himself to the ordeal
by main force, for this affection had
made him weak, Dixon went on: do
you realize that l am paralyzed for
life?"
The wide eyes, grown deep and ten
der. regarded him sadly. YES" she
answered, gently. when they first
told me, wouldn't believe it, but I've
grown used to it now"
well, have mott" broke from Dix
IN, savagely, in momentary loss of
self-control.
But you are not going to have to
bear it alone, you win always have
me with you," pleaded the girl, sim
ply.
NO, Tige," he answered, steadily.
She could not know that the instinc-
tive effort to reach his hand toward
her and his powerlessness to do so,
was what nerved him to say it. ''No,
Chat can never be, could not ask you
to be my wife now, because-because
everything -"
But" bending very low so he could
not see her face, she ventured, Il am
going to marry you and take care of
you--"
And in time come to despise me-"
interrupted Dixon. Il have no money,
Tige, so that would be impossible.
Don't you see it all? Do you imagine
| could let you throw yourself away
on such as |, dead man unburied? l,
who could not raise a finger to sup
port or even protect you, lying here
like a dog at your feet"
'Hush, hush," shuddered the girl,
putting her hand over his mouth to
stop him; you shall not say those
things"
'Listen!" Dixon commanded; he
could not be other than masterful
however low he might be laid. This
is the only sane thing to do. You are
very young and in time you win get
over your grief. You win be going
back to Mexico as soon as the rains
legin."
NO" answered Tige, with her old
high-handed way of disposing of her
own affairs. 81 am not going down to