The Central Nevadan. [volume] (Battle Mountain, Nev.) 1885-1907, 1903-06-04

she forced the end DettDcen hts tips.
shots had been pouring on her In the
midst Of q battle, but. with the rapid
hkill and strength she had acquired
long before she reached the place. lift
ed aside first one, then another, of the
iifeless Arabs that had fallen above
him and drew out from beneath the
sufocating pressure Of his horses
weight the head and the frame of the
chasseur whom Flick Flack had sought
ont 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. n SLOW breath, painfully
drawn. moved bis chest. She saw that
he was unconscious from the sitting
oppression under which be 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 bis lips and poured some
down bis throat. Her hand shook
slightly as she did 50. a weakness the
gallant little campaigner never before
then had known.
1t revived him In n degree. lie breath
ed more freely. though heavily and
with difficulty still. but gradually the
desthly leadeh color Of his face was
replaced by the hue of life, and his
heart began to beat more loudly. Con-
scioushess did not return to him. He
lay motionless and senseless. with bis
head resting Oh her lap and with Flick
Flack. in eager affection. licking his
hands and his hair.
HE was as good as dend. Flick.
Elack. II 1t had not been for you and
me-" said Cigarette, while she wetted
his lips with more brandy. "Ah. bah.
And he would be more grateful. Flick
Flack. for n s~cornful SCOT from mi
ladi."
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 biave. sunny
eyes Of the little Friend OF the Flag.
he Is 30 handsome. so h~andsomei"
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 beaved pain.
fully by each uneasy breath. She was
Of o vivid. v~oluptuous. artistic nature:
she wal thoroughly womaniike In her
passions and her instincts. though she
30 ficrcelv condemned ~womanhooh. II
he had not been beautiful. she would
never have looked twice at him. never
once Ia We 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 bis shoulder.
The restless movements of little
Flick Flack detached a piece of Irvine
passed around his favorite's throat:
the glitter OF gold arrested Cigarettes
eyes. She caught what the poodle's i'm
patient caress had broken from the
string. 1t was a small blue enamel me-
dallion bonbon box with a hole through
1t by which 1t had been slung-a 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 clotted now with blood. Inside II
Was a woman's ring Of sapphires and
opals.
She looked at both close In the glow
Of the setting sun. then passed the
string through and fastened the box
afresh. 1t was a mere tribe. but II
suf1ced to Danish her dream. to rou
her to contemptuous. impatient bitter
ness with that new weakness that had
for the hour broken her down to the
level Of this feverish folly. He was
beautiful-yes! She could not bring
herself to hate him: she could NOT
Aelp tho trimming sears binding her