River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1903-01-29


long curly hair? Half crazy over Nan,
and she had encouraged him? Some
thing of the sort. That was Caney's
! lookout, though. The girl was enough
to turn any mans head-she had
| turned his.
Then the screams-that scene-the
! lightning sense of what it meant, and
that he must act quickly. Bad bust
ness, but he had saved her.
He let his boat drift as he boarded
the other boat and seized the oars.
Don't try to talk, Mamie" he said,
sharply, as the frightened eyes gazed
blankly at him. you're faint. I'll
get you ashore in a half minute.
Thank God l happened to be on hand"
Strong strokes, streak of foam in
the wake, crunching on the sand.
Burns waded in to his knees, lifted her
out, and away from the thing still
resting against the white dress. Kiss
ing her tenderly he splashed back.
''Sit there, under that tree, dear.
Don't look! I'll have to bring him in
the brute!"
Leonard Burns, did you do that?'
Nancy's voice was fulhof horror.
"Of course 1 did, chf1d. In another
moment he would have murdered you
but L nailed him just right
eve are the murderers, Leonard.
you and /. No one will marry a pair
of murderers!" She laughed shrilly.
"Nannie!"
81 never will! / couldn't now. No,
Leonard, / never can"
Burns groaned and pulled himself
together. "There, there" he said,
soothingly, 'you are not yourself,
dear. / told you not to talk. Keep
quiet"
Presently they were on their knees
by the limp form on the moss. The
girl seemed suddenly inspired with
strength and action.
Gle is breathing!" she cried. ooh,
run for help! I'll stay!"
Leonard was carefully examining.
"Only a scalp wound. Merely stunned.
/ think, but he has lost lot of blood.
Let me attend him, Mamie. You hur-
ry home and get your father"
mo, you go. won't leave him.
Poor, poor old Dick"
She was recklessIy tearing strips
from her clothing, wetting them in
the lake, trying to stanch the wound,
her face TRANSPORTED.
Burns stared. Aren't you afraid
to remain?" he began. THAT man"
Hurry! Afraid? No! Of course,
not"
'But he tried to kill you!"
''He only tried to kiss me. You
fired accidentally. See? Go along!"
Leonard Burns ran through the
brush. "By iove! she's a thorough
bred" he commented. "Half wild as
she is she thought of that. To save
him, to protect me, to make it ap-
pear simple accident. | suppose it's
wOman's way. No man would ever
do it. How she did brace up when
she found he was alive. One thing
is certain, I'll have a plucky wife!'
He laughed and went on.
The wavelets whispered i'll sedge
and every sandbar, cooling the breeze
springing from the west. All nature
smiled serenely.
Nancy Dalton sat very still, gazing
upon the bandaged head resting upon
her lap. Could that be Dick? Those
strong limbs sprawling so helplessly:
that great chest moving with the
feeble breath. And she had brought
him to this. Away back her thoughts
roved to many little things. She
could not remember when Dick had
not been patient and kind, always
waiting in the background to help
her in every possible way.
"Hurt her? Why, he had plunged
into that very pond to save her kit
ten, his best clothes on, too. She had
sort of owned Dick-to take or leave.
That promise! Yes, she had been
happy enough in thinking of it, until
Mr.. Burns came. Dick wouldn t
mind, she guessed; it was such a fine
thing for her-for them all. What
drag her down to death beside him
rather than give her up? 1t ap-
palled, but it thrilled, warmed, made
her lips dry and her tears to start.
If she had been in Dicks place, would
she have felt like doing that? If Mr..
Burns had not come, and some other
girl" A great wave of tenderness,
new, Overpowering sense of posses
sion and longing swept over her.
Caney sighed, opened a pair of be
wildered gray eyes, closed them hap
PLY and nestled the poor head closer.
you are here, after ALI" he
breathed. ''And, Nannie-they can't
part us now, darling. How the lights
dance! You - won't - leave = me-
ever-?"
Down went the girls lips to his,
mo, DEAR" she sobbed. ''I'll never
leave you-oh! Dick"
When the wheels of the wagon
crunched along the wood road, they
had moved trifie and the man was sit
ting up with the sunset at his back,
one arm Unfolding the slight figure,
weeping against his broad shoulder.
''Nan!" shouted the heavy tones of
Gideon Dalton, ''whar be We? l see
1 see-wal! We look comfy for a dead
man. Dick. Them blamed guns ez 1 was
tellin' Burns-why-wha is hep
But Mr.. Burns had vanished That
evening the moon saw him walking
with Nancy Dalton. He left her at her
fathers gate, and his face was pale
and serious. but very kind.
"Good-by, little grill" he said, 81 will
do my best, and believe you are right.
Good-by!"