Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-11-12

mo, she will not die. Great bit or
stuff. Better she should die, perhaps!
But can't say yet for two weeks. Now
remember" he added sharply, looking
into the Dukes woe stricken face, her
spirits must be kept up. | have lied
most fully and cheerfuly TO them ill.,
side. You must do the same" And the
doctor strobe away, calling out:
Joe! Here, Joe! Where is he gone ?
Joe, | say! Extraordinary selection
Providence makes at times; we could
have spared that lazy half breed with
pleasure. Joe. On. here you are!
Where in thunder But here the
doctor stopped abruptly. The agony in
the dark face before him was too much
even for the bluff doctor. Straight and
stiff Joe stood by the horses head till
the doctor had mounted. Then with a
great effort he said
Little miss she 20 dead?"
Dead" called out the doctor. ganc-
ing Mt the open window. "Why.
bless your old copper carcass, no! Gwen
will show you yet how to rope a steer"
Joe took a step nearer, and, lowering
his tone, said:
"You speak me true? Me man, me
no papoose.' The piercing black eyes
searched the doctors face. The doctor
hesitatcd moment and then. with an
air of great candor, he said cheerily:
That's all right, Joe. Miss Gwen
will cut circles round your old cayuse
yet. But remember" and the doctor
was very impressive, you must make
her laugh every day"
Joe folded his arms across his breast
and stood like a statue till the doctor
rode away. Then, turning to us, he
grunted out:
Him good man. chT
Good man." answered the Duke,
adding, but remember, Joe. what he
told you to do-must make her laugh
every day"
Poor Joe! IIumor was not his forte.
and his attempt in this direction in the
weeks that followed would have been
humorous were they not so pathetic.
How did my part | cannot tell. Those
weeks are to me now like the memory
of an ugly nightmare. The ghostly old
man moving out of and into his little
daughters room in useless. dumb
agony. Ponka's woe stricken Indian
face. Joc's extraordinary and unusual
but loyal attempts at fun making gro
tesGuely sad and the Dukes unVaryinG
and invncible cheeriness- these furnish
light and shade for the picture my menu
DRY brings me of Gwen in those days.
For the first two weeks she was sim
ply heroic She bore her pain without a
groan. submitted to the imprisonment,
which was harder than pain. with an
gelic patience. Joe. the Duke and l
carried out our instructions with care
full eXactness to the letter. She never
doubted. and we never let her doubt.
but that in few weeks she would be
on the pinto's back again and after the
cattle She made iis pass our word for
this till it seemed as if she must have
read the falsehoods on our brows.
TO lie cheerfully with her eyes upon
ones face calls for more than | pos
sess,' said the Duke one day. "Thc
doctor should supply ne tonics. 1t is
an arduous task
And she believed us absolutely, and
made plans for the fall round up and
for hunts and rides till ones heart
grew sick. AS to the ethical problem
involved, I decline to express an opin-
ion, but we had no need to wait for
our punishment Her trust In us. her
eager and confident expectation Of the
return OF her happy, free, outdoor life,
these brought to US. who knew how
vain they were. their own adequate
punishment for every false assurance
we gave. And how bright and brave
she was those first days. How reso-
lutte to get back to the world of air
and light outside.
But she had need OF all her bright
ness and courage and resolution before
she was done with her long fight.