Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1906-04-06

manned unbroken except now
and then when the girl bent
Z over the silent figure to ask,
Can I DO anything for yOu!" Each
time she listened with added fear, hop
ing eagerly fol- his voice. ooh, l wish
we could do something" she whispered
now and again to Louis.
The boy, worn out with his days ex-
element, struggled manfully to keep
awake, but as the night deepened SUM-
Der rose about him like wreath of be-
numbing incense His sense of what
had taken place dulled, his head nod
ded and dropped, and at last Ann low
a"ed him to the floor. where he slept, his
creek pillowed upon Ter feet.
Again The singularity of the chance,
the absurd unreality of the situation,
came upon the self contained girl in
citing l.er to a sort Of hysterical laugh
ter. Here now she sat-Ann Rupert,
most conventional Of persons-in a rude
ranch house, alone with a strange,
rough man sleeping in deathlike
trance before her.
The minutes elongated like bands OF
rubber, attaining the length of quarter
hours, and the night stretched away
into hOrrifying distance as she sat
tersely waiting, hoping each moment
for deliyerance, expecting each instant
to hear the swift beating of hoofs, the
hoarse laughter of the men; but only
The wind serpents Kissed and the wolf
howlod.
At last immobiIity becSme intolera-
BILE, and, lowering Louis head to the
floor, she gently placed his COUPLED
coat beneath it and with mighty eff
fort of the will bent again above the
pallid man, so tragic in his supineness,
and whispered:
Are you still suffering? Can do
anything for your
He turned his head slowly and with
a glance which made her shiver an
swered: "No; / have ceased to tleed.
am going to pull through if my pulse
keeps down. SNNon't you take itT
Timidly taking his brown wrist III
her soft finger tips she tried to count
the pulsing of his blood.
He waited little time in silence,
then said: "It's there, but it's weak.
Don't you feel it?'
Eyes: it is more regular nOw," she
answered.
I'm not going to die" he continued
in a hoarse, fat tone. II could get up
and mount a horse right now, only Ia
bleed if | did. It's hard to keep quiet,
but I'm going to do it. 1 can't afford to
die now. You've reused me. There's
something in the world for me to do"
"YOu must not talk" she whispered.
'Please-it will do you HARM"
She put her hand impulsively on his
forehead as if he were a child, and he
closed his eyes and lay in silence for
several minutes. When she withdrew
her palm he muttered: Leave it there.
It's so cool and soft"
"Would you like a wet cloth on your
head"
"No-only your hand-if you don't
mind
Her feeling toward him at the mo-
ment was like that she manifested To-
ward her brother. II don't mind, If 1t
helps you," she answered, but a flush
rose to her face.
1.-THE bows will come in soon, and
then you can go to bed and rest. I'm
sorry TO trouble you. You can go now.
I'm all right" he said.
81 shall not leave yOu," she firmly re-
piled.
you're mighty good" he said SIM
ply.
The night wore ON Unfortunately. AT
a little past 5, faint and far, arose the
cheerful growing of cock. Her heart
burned with joy-the morning was
near! AS she waited the light came
and voices. faint and far away, touched
her ear. and then slowly, moving in
disorderly squad, tlfe weary fighters of
flames came riding down the slope and
across the meadow.
The herders did not ride up to the
house, as she expected them to do, but
turned aside toward the stables, and
she could hear them as they dropped
their saddles and turned their tired
ponies loose. "Surely they will come
now" Then all was still save the crow
ing of the cocks and that sad bowling