Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1906-08-17
HAMLIN GARLAND
bed; the boys win look after me now
/ can't let you wear yourself out 70,

bed; the boys win look after me now
I can't let you wear yourself out fol
me-
But Ann could not SO easily be pu,
aside from her plain duty. no. / VIII
stay till the doctor comes"
at last, when the wounded man was
lying comfortably on a thick pile q
blankets and the white light Of the
morning filed the cabin, Ann yielded
to his entreaties, went to her room
and threw herself down upon her bed
With sense OF having put all her ease
full, careless glrlhood behind her. II
was as II she had suddenly been flung
into gray and bitter sea far from
shore.
Louis. whs had been reused by the
return OF the herders and who sal
watching their slow and painfully eau
tious handling Of the sufferer with the
mute, Unconditional gaze Of sleepy
kitten. followed his sister into the III
ner room and stood in silence till his
bewilderment left him and his per
plexity crysta1lized Into words. Their
he said:
"Jupiterl I didn't know you could
do such things. What do you think
Ia he going to die?"
II don't know, laddie. / hope not
Two done oil can
Ann must have dropped asleep there
after. for when she woke the horizontal
rays Of the flaming sun filled the room
and the loud and hearty voice of a wo-
man could be heard out in the kitchen.
Her words came distinctly to AIMS
ears. "Now, Rob, you've got me to
deal with. I'll cuff your ears if you
don't do as say. You've got to eat to
keep your strength up"
Ann rose hastily, but paused before
the closed door with new and singll-
lar timidity. The coming of another
woman made her own position embar-
RAISING. With return of resolution
she opened the door and met the big
gray eyes of tall, broad shouldered,
slatternly woman, who stood over Ray
mond with bowl of steaming broth in
her hand. She was neither deft nor
dainty, but Ann perceived that she was
capable and good tempered, natural
nurse, experienced in the ways of the
border.
Good morning" she called, and her
infections and many Of her phrases
were masculine. "You must "a had q
right hard night of 1t. Friend Of the
Ba1netts, Rob tells me-"
Her familiarity and the essential
commonness of her tone repealed Ann,
who asked. with cool dignity. "Can /
do anythingf'
mot a thing. I'm Mrs Scribbins,
Rob's highest neighbor. We come
a-runnin' the moment we heerd OF this
thing, for Rob's mighty good man
and neighbor..'
Ann repented and held out her hand.
I'm glad to see you, Mrs. Scribbins,
I'm Miss Rupert, and this is my broth
e." She turned to Louis, who had
crept to her side, pale and silent.
Mrs. Scribbins shook hands, carefully
guarding her broth. II don't see how
you kept Rob down. I've had to just
about throttle him once or twice since
] came. He's headstrong cuss and
hates being bossed or nussed."
Has the doctor come9'
Good Lord, mol But I've sent Abe
up the road. That fool Watson is
more'n likely to get lost and never get
In. Even IL he did he couldn't get a
doctor here before noon, and that Wal.
lace doctor amt worth the powder to
blow him up anyway. We need bone
doctor from Valley Springs. AS soon
as Don Barnett hears Of this he'll come
a-runnin' with the best there is in the
Springs"
Raymond lay on his pile Of blankets,
his face expressionless as that of q
dead man, but his eyes called to the
GIRL, and she bent to ask, Are you
better? 2"
His lips moved little. She bowed
lower, and he whispered, yes bring
DON"
They have gone for him"
"They must hurry" Then he added
"Don't leave me-"
With a conviction that he knew be
was about to die, she spoke, and her
tone was tense with q desire to help
him. II will not leave you. Do moi
worry"
4 He closed his eyes again and lay SO
still. SO breathless, it seemed that he
had entered upon the last coma, be
yond the reach Of any medicine.
Louis, awed quite out Of his sprightly
self, drew Ann aside and whispered
"How: is hep
"He y worse. Oh. wish the doctor
would come!"
'.Tho boys say that big, speckled
faced fellow did 1t. He had 1T in fol
Mr.. Raymond. Do you know. Perry
the Mexican boy, took a horse and was
going to chase them UP, but the boys
wouldn't let him. They've sent word
to the railway, and they'll have Spec
HE before night. Uncle Don said that
these fellows were only hired men, but
seems to me they're good deal like
the old time cowboys. =
CHAPTER VI.