Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-11-03

The phole herd auere after Joe.
old smile. "a fuller knowledge would
only justify the opinion" Then, after
q pause he added: But If Gwen goes
| must pull out. couldn't stand It,"
AS we rode up the doctor came out.
"Well. what do you think? asked
the Duke.
"Can't say yet" replied the old doc
tor, gruff with long army practice.
bad enough. Good night"
But the Dukes hand fell upon his
shoulder with a grip that must have
got to the bone, and in husky voice
he asked:
"Will she live?"
The doctor squirmed. but could not
shake Off the crushing grip.
Here. you young tiger. let go! What
do you think l am made Oft" he cried
angrily. 81 didn't suppose I was COM
ing to a bears den or I should have
brought a gun"
1t was only by the most, complete
apology that the Duke could mollify the
old doctor sufficiently to get his opinion.
No, she will not die! Great bit Of
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
snirits must be kept up. have lied
most fully and cheerfully to them in
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! Oh, 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 go dead?
"Dead! called out the doctor, glanc-
ing at the open window. why,
bless your old copper carcass, no! Gwen
will show you yet how to rope steer"
Joe took q 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
hesitated 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
vet. 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 statue till the doctor
rode away. Then. turning to us, he
grunted out:
Him good man, eh?"
Good man." answered the Duke.
adding, "but remember. Joe, what he
told YOU to do-must make her laugh
every day"
Poor Joe! Humor 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 1 cannot tell. Those
weeks are to me now like the memory
IF an ugly nightmare. The ghostly old
man moving out of and into his little
dauglter's room in useless, dumb
agony, Ponka's woe stricken Indian
face, Joe's extraordinary and unusual
but loyal attempts at fun making-gro-
tesuuely sad. and the Dukes unvarying
and invincible cheeriness-thesef furnish
light and shade for the picture my mem-
ory brings me Of Gwen in those days.
For the first two weeks she was SIM
ply heroic. She bore her pain without
groan, submitted to the Imprisonment,
which was harder than pain, with an
celic patience. Joe, the Duke and
carried out our instructions with care
full exactness to the letter. She never
doubted. and we never let her doubt,
but that in q few weeks she would be
ON the pinto's back again and after the
cattle. She made us 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. line
doctor should supply US tonics. 1t Is
an arduous task"
And she believed us absolutely, ana
made plans for the fall round up ana
for hunts and rides till ones neart
grew sick. AS to the ethical problem
involved. l decline to express an opln-
ion. but we had no need to wait for
our punishment> Her trust ia us, her
eager and confident expectation or the
return Of her happy. free. outdoor llre'
these brought to us. who knew no"
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
che ,ras dorfe with her long fight.