The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1902-10-18
By II. S. CANFIELD

By II. S.
Auther of "A MAID OF THE WEST" "FERdY
Copyrighted 1901, by I
CHAPTER TX.
Ar. John Britton Weston, Citizen-at-
Large.
The captive was conscious but did
not speak. He looked from one to an
sther in the gloom as he lay upon the
ground, which was soaked under him.
The left side of his shirt and canvas
Jacket showed dark with blood, the
bullet having torn it's way through the
shoulder.
Nov you've got this rascal" asked
Maude, little impatiently, what are
you going to do with him?"
Harding did not answer, but spoke
10 four of his men, directing them to
make a litter and attach it to two of
the horses.
What are you going to do with
him?" Maude repeated.
The Captain wheeled to face him, his
eight hand laised half threateningly.
him up at ten PAGES, wounded and
bound, for you to murder over again.
What else should I do with him."
Maude said nothing further, but re-
mounted and sat motionless, with his
English cavalry seat, staring out over
the river. During the colloquy the
prisoner, still upon his back, had
shifted his head and looked at the
Englishman steadily. He still looked
1T him for while when the two lit
ter-horses were put at the head of the
solumn with trooper on foot leading
them. Then he shifted his regard to
Harding, but only for moment. The
motion was rough, but no moan came
from him. Before a mile had been
traversed Inconsistencies came to him
mercifully. The troop, riding at a
walk, reached the ranche-house just at
sunrise.
Naturally enough the ranche-house
was plunged into turmoil by the ar
prisoner-a bandit, a smuggler, cat
ue-lifter, possibly brigand, a de-
iightfully romantic, mysterious GRIM
lnal from the neighboring republic.
The maid-servants gathered about, ex-
eitedly peering and whispering as the
captive was lifted from the litter and
borne, still unconscious, into a room
prepared for him under Glynn's short
directions. The Mexican cow-hands
looked on alphabetically. They were
we'll used to seeing men injured in one
way or another, and conspicuously
among them was the dark, quiet face
Of Juan Cara, the decoy. This fellow
had slipped into the cactus the moment
the alarm had been sounded at the
ford and made his way directly to the
rancho where he awaited the return of
the soldiers. He argued that he had
done his work and it was no part of
his duty to remain to fight and, pos
sibly, be killed-an unlearned, but SEN
sible man was Cara. For the first
morning in many mornings the lady Of
the rancho was aroused from torpor
She glided about in becoming wrap
per, not helping any one and much in
the way but genuinely busy. Lois,
aroused by the hustle, had dressed has
OF the stir in a few words by Allyn,
at once volunteered her services.
II once thought to be professional
nurse,' she said simply, land 7 I'M
derstand a good deal about the treat
ment Of hurts. My place, of course,
will be in the sickroom."
But" interjected the Hon. Clay
brough, "the chaps a ruffian, don't
you know?"
1T doesn't make any difference" she
responded shortly. Hes a wounded
suf1ian, isn't he, and past doing harm?''
She turned to assume direction of
the maids who were carrying hot
water, soap, towels bandages, lini-
ments and so forth into the prisoners
room. Meanwhile a conference was in
progress between Robert Harding and
the ranchman.
"You can't take him with you,"' the
latter was saying. "The fellow would
die if subjected to itter-haul from
here to Fort Clark in this sun. Leave
him with me. I'll be responsible for
him and when he gets we'll we'll try
aim and put him in the penitentiary.
I should say that he's English or
American, and we can't let him die
like a dog. Probably he is the lieuten-
ant of the Vavara forces, of whom we
have heard rumors. They say that the
smuggler owes much of his success to
his skill and daring"
Undoubtedly" the Captain replied
uonchalantly. Hes the same man.
all leave him here willingly, more by
token that I can't carry him and have
40 relish for riding the twenty miles
to the fort at a walk. I'll see if can
get Thompson, the post surgeon, to
some out this afternoon. guess he's
ut. Owing to brandy bath taken, he
said. to relieve rheumatism, he put a
bandage on the wrong leg the other
day, but that doesn't often happen.