Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1901-02-19
CHAPTER III.


straiEed sight had not played him
trick. Soon, however, it was beyond
question. Her long, white fingers that
had been outspread, closed slowly, clutch
ing a handful of leaves. He prayed,
raved and shouted to her TO wake III"
but though he was near enough to hear
the faint rustling of the dry leaves stir
fed by her hand, she was deaf to all the
sounds he could make He would have
given years of his life to be able to get
where she was and try to revive her, but
that would have been no less practical
ble, had she been upon another planet.
instead of stretched out almost beneath
his nose.
The period of the girls Inconsistencies
seemed interIninable to him; for, while
it lasted more vivid emotions ran riot
through his perturbed mind than in all
his life before he had experienced, but
in reality its duration was only few mO4
ments. Eventually he saw her SILVER
draw herself together and sit up, looking
about with a dazed expression. There
was blood on her neck and breast, It she
did not notice it.
"Hetty Mulveir' he gasped. in blank
amaZement. who would "a thought
Eut u nave Deeu up 10 SUCH uefhllltSs :
I'd "a sworn il was Danny"
1t had not escaped Johns observant
eye-which had often rested upon her
with pleasure at church, singing school
and other public gatherings Hetty
was avery pretty girl, but never had she
seemed to him so superlatively beautiful
as now. The temporary paleness, cOnse-
quent upon her swoOn, seemed to accen-
A. 3D.. = l.. 4 h
great mass of wavy, chestnut brown hair
fell loosely upon her shoulders; and her
Involuntary gesture, placing both her
hands to her temples, made a most effac-
tive pose for exhibition of the graceful
modelling of her perfect form. What an
unspeakabe horror to him now was the
thought that his rash act had come near
to cutting short the life of one that had
suddenly become dear to him.
"Hetty.' he cried, are you much hurt?
Speak to me! Tell me! Great gosh!
I'm gettin' wild away over here, where
can't half tell you how sorry 1 ann
She looked at him with q smile, as the
color came back to her cheeks, and re-
piled:
Hurt? No. I'm not hurt. What are
You sorry for?"
For Shootin' you"
"Shootin' me? Why. no."
- tell you. yes Can't see the blood
on Your neck? But | didn't mean to
Lord knows | never thought it was you"
She started when he spvac of blood
on her neck, put up her hand, and finding
that he said truly, had no little difficulty
10 keep from fainting Il second time. But
her nerve was good. and after feeling
gently with her finger tips for the wound,
she forced light laugh, as she replied:
"Pshaw. That's nothing. Just a lit
tie chip-off the end of my ear and teeny
skelp off the side of my neck
My Cod thought John, with thrill
of horror. IAN inch to the right would
have sent the bullet through her head.
Only blind chance saved her"
Il didn't really mean to shoot at you,
Miss Mulveil," he said, in a tone of very
earnest apology, because, you see, L
didn't know it was you. l thought it
was that limb of Satan, Danny, who had
been heaving rocks down at me, and 1
just wanted to drive him off,
Indeed, don't wonder at it," answer
ed Hetty, sympathetically, for more
provoking boy don't walk the earth.
Many's the time I've told him something
would happen to him, if a judgment
didn't overtake him first. But he has
gone to get help for you now, and that's
something in his favor"
4 don't know" responded John, doubt
fully. He may not come back in a
week"
Well l guess we needn't wait for him
&c this hickory were to be felled, with the
fork into that tree you're on, couldn't you
climb up?"
Sure. But who's to fell the hickory %
Il am. I've got n good. sharp AK here
and | can chop as we'll as any man on
Raccoon creek. Get down where you'll
br safe. and see how soon III have this
tree cut"
III climb down soon enough. bur 7
want TO stay here as long as | can"
What for?"
To look at YOU"
You Just want to laugh at nv chop-
ping"
Indeed I don't. Just can't any more
get enough of seeing YOU. That's what
IS the fact"
Hettv's cheeks burned bu+ her owes
spsrkled with Measure Affectirg to
laugh. she turned away. picked nm tho
AZ and set to work ON the doomed tree
John admiringlv watched while tho
chips flew from beneath bar vigorous
strokes. until the hickory was half felaa
Then. before descending out of the vroy
ne said. heartily:
You do handle an Ak rs we'll as 7
could myself"
With what Measure Hettv hoard that
.,on,mcndation of her abilityl She bod
been told the same thing often before.
hut what. 70 her. were the praises of 9TH.
ers compared with Johns approvaI?
When the tree, was cut almost tbrourb
she set her shoulder against the trunk
like a thorough woodman. and threw il
in exactly the position desired. with Il
nice precision that could not have been
surpassed. Hardly had the crash of its
fau aud the rattle Of breaking boughs
among the now c.. mingled tons lied
away when John was nimbly making his
way 20 her side. which he quickly reach
sd in safety.