Rocky Ford enterprise., 1903-10-16
cnAp1Ea xvll.-contlnued q.

MHen the mtIl Nah oNtI pEs bNs'
widdie arose. and. as was his habit
returned to the house up the ROAD to
SEQ to his patients condition. anu
found that johnson had slep, through
tho night scarcely stirring. still as
baby. Things were going well to help
on hIs recovery: and though II would
be months before he could be nble 10
get around. yet ther. was every hops
and every reason To expect him 70
recover.
johnson moved and opened his eyes
slowly as DR.. Dunsiddie entered the
room. Vacant. holiow eyes they were,
with stare in them which startled
Dolores.
Dr. DunwlddIn vas at his side IN
k,antly. but without siEn Of haste.
He is used To your voice" he said
to Dolores. without turning his head
Speak to him. Miss Johnson. Say
anything To hIm-any,hlns you are In
the habit of sayinE."
Dolores came no nearer the bed.
Shc stood quietly at the window. and
asked In her ordinary voice. slow. un'
Interested; Are you ready for break
fast. father"
The hollow eyes closei weakly for
a moment Mrs. Allen entered nj that
moment with the beef tea. and Do
lorcs, taking the bowl from her hand.
crossed over tn tho bedside. John
son again opened his eyes with the
aid expression of dlStrnlt and dislike
Ia them. Sh. bent over him. and Dr.
DunwlddIe raised his head n tribe
scntiy on his arm as she put ,h, spoon
10 his lips with steady hand and un'
moved face. hut when she offered
him the second spoonful he closed his
eyes and cadcayorrd to turn aside his
head. with the Sullcn expression on
his face. Dolores bent over the bed
and held the spoon steadily TO his
lips. as she said. In ton. that thrilled
her listeners by IT, slow. almost stern
sweetness:
Drink this. father"
He obcycd like n child. aad she fed
him carefully according Ia the doe
tors orders. Er. Dunwiddic watched
her movements wond.ringly. Where
did this .iri get her womanly tact!
surely not from this man upon the
pillows. whose face was Indicative Of
nothing but brute nature.
IL was an exquisite morning. Mrs.
Allen was with the doctor. there was
no need ot her there. aud she went
out and sat ON the doorStonc In til.
shadow of the pines. Leaning her
tcad against the door.post her hands
fell to her lap. Her eyes were intent
cry look In thcm. II had mcddicd so
with her iifc-ur was Il the fate Of the
stars that crippled her father and pre-
vented his going To court where the
men were eager to have him. like the
yulturc on the mountain. She knew
little OF fate or law. but II seemed to
her that the one possessed her. and
the other was waiting. waiting In n
terrible silence Ior her father to go
To prove the malice prcpcnse In the
lamlng OF the mara waiting that
sJpaiied her by Its doggci patience.
What her ncighbors thought she did
not care: shc mad lived without them:
she could still live without them. Had
she known how roughly they used her
name she would scarcely have under.
stood their meaning. Her mind was
too pure and too high above them to
the evil they would lay
at her door. Lode. among them all,
was the only kind one Not one OF the
woman had been near her. but tho
women never did come: she cared
nothing about that. only there was
something in her life that had not
been there before and that called for
comrnnionship for the sympathy of
other women. But Dora would come.
she thought. with sudden brightness
In her hcnrt-Dora and her uncle. and
young Green as well. until-until the
truth were known. Then, what would
they think or say-Dora and her
uncle, who were honorable people, the
nurse said. and young Green who had
been SO kind to them-so kind? Did
he not risk his life for her father?
Yet even then he must have known
about the mare and by whom the deed
was done. Did he not tell her himself
that the man who had committed
such dastardly deed should suffer
the full penalty of the law? And the
law had terrible Significance to her.
Lodio came slouching up the path,
tan, gaunt, angular, in the full glory