Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1903-11-04

Duke and her father were with Gwen.
SO earnest was the discussion that
none OF us heard the door open Just as
young Fawcett was saying in inciSive
tones:
mo. can see no hope The child
can never walk again"
There was a cry behind us.
What. Never walk again? It's a
lie" There stood the Old Timer. white.
fierce. shaking.
Hush said the old doctor. point
ing at the open door. He was too
late. Even as he spoke there CAME
from the inner room wild. unearthIy
cry as OF some dying thing. and. as
we stood gazing ut one another with
awe stricken faces. we heard Ovens
voice as in quick. sharp pain.
Daddy. Daddy Come. What do
they say? Tell me. daddy. II is not
true 1t is not true, Look NJ me,
daddy
She pulled up her fathers hagrard
face from the bed.
'Oh. daddy. daddy. you know it's
true. Never walk again.
She turned with pitiful cry to the
Duke, who stood white and stiff. with
arms drawn tight across his breast. on
the other side Of the bed
"Oh, Duke. did you hear them? You
told me to be brave. and I tried not 10
CRY when they hurt me- But can't
be bravel Can l, Duke? oh. Dukel
Never TO ride again.
She stretched out her hands 10 him.
But the Duke, leaning over her and
holding her hands fast in his. could
only say brokenly over and over:
Don't, Gwen. Don't, Gwen, dearr'
But the pitiful, pleading voice went
on:
"Oh, Duke, Must 1 always lie herel
Must /? Why must Il"
God knows" answered the Duke
bitterly, under his breath, Il don'tr'
She caught at the word
Does heT" she cried eagerly. Then
she paused suddenly. turned TO me and
said, do you remember he said some
day 1 could not do as / nkedY'
was puzzled
The Pilotr she cried impatiently.
Don't you remember? And l said
should do as liked till died"
nodded my head and said, But YOU
know you didn't mean it,"
But did, and do" she cried. with
passionate vehemence, land l will do
as like! 1 will not lie here! l will
ridel l will! 1 will, l will" and she
struggled up, clinched her fists and
sank back faint and weak 1t was not
pleasant sight, but grewsome. Her
rage against that Unseen Omnipotence
w laR,
Those were dreadful weeks to Gwen
and 10 all about her. The constant
pain could not break her proud spirit:
she shed no tears, but she fretted and
chafed and grew more imperiously ex-
acting every day. Ponka and Joe she
drove like slave master. and even her
father, when he could not understand
her wishes, she impatiently banished
from her room. Only the Duke could
please or bring her any cheer. and even
the Duke began TO feel that the day
was not far on when he, too. would
fail. and the thought made him despair.
Her pain was hard To bear, but harder
than the pain was her longing for the
open air and the free. flower strewn.
breeze swept prairie. But most pitiful
OF all were the days when in her inter
WEAKNESS and uncomfortable unrest
she would pray 10 be taken down into
the canyon.
'Oh. it is SO cool and shady" she
would plead. and the flowers up in the
rocks and the vines and things are all
so lovely. / am always better there.
know l should be better" till the Duke
would be distracted and would come to
me and wonder what the end would be.
One day, when the strain had been
more terrible than usual the Duke
rode down To me and said:
Look here This thing can't GO on.
Where is the Pilot gone? Why doesn't
he stay where he belongs? l wish TO
heaven he would get through with his
absurd rambling"
He's gone where he was sent" 1 re
piled shortly. You don't set much
store by him when he does come round.
He is gone on an exploring trip through
the Dog lake country. He'll be back
by the end of next week"
Il say, bring him up, for heavens
saker' said the Duke. He may be Of
some use, and anyway it Will be a new
face for her, poor child" Then he
added, rather penitently: Il fear this
thing is getting on TO my nerves. She
almost drove me out today. Don't lay
Ii up against me. old chap"
1t was a new thing TO hear the Duke
confess his need of any man. much less
penitence for fault / felt my eyes
growing dim, but said roughly:
"You be hanged! I'll bring the Pilot
up when he comes"
1t was wonderful how we had all
come TO confde in the Pilot during his
year OF missionary work among us
Somehow the cowboys name OF SKY
Pilot" seemed To express better than
anything else the place he held with
us. Certain IL is that when. i'm their
dark hours. any OF the fellows felt in
need of help to strike the upward
trair' they went TO the Pilot. and 50
the name first given in chan came to
be the name that expressed most truly
the deep and tender feeling these
rough. big hearted men cherished for
him.
When the Pilot came home | care
fully prepared him for his trial. telling
oil that Gwen had suffered and strlv-
ing to make him feel how desperate
was her case when even the Duke had
TO confess himself beaten. He did not
seem sufficiently impressed. Then l
pictured for him all her fierce willful-
ness and her fretful humors, her impa-