Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1906-03-16

| reses over the wodley Hill he ~dismovited.
The road stretched away ownhil sharply
at the edge OF a deep pool, called Wodley
Pool, which was locally reputed to be
bottomless.
The scene before him, az he meditativeiy
gazed over his pipe, was most beautiful
A rolling stretch of low, wooded hill with
pasture land In the valleys. Occasional
streams wandered, seemingly at their will.
Here and there tiny hamlets lay snug In
a wooded fold, while around the edge OF
the picture lay the seeming infinity of the
ocean.
Then Gerald turned to look above him;
Tor he had paused, as ! said In the CEN
ter OF this long hill. Suddenly a cyclist
appeared over the brow and commenced to
rapidly descend. Then. as he hooked, Ger
aid saw the arms of the cyclist give q
sudden jerk downwards. and then he saw
the rider held the handlebars apart from
the machine.
Good heavens." he cried. It's a girl,
and she's mashed her handlebars, and
Good heavensl It's Ethel!'
For now the machine, with Its helpless
rider sitting in the saddle with nothing to
steer with or hold by, had flashed past
him. The consciousness of her great dam
ger was written on her face, which was
still and white as marble. The machine
was running steadily with the free wheel
In action, the rider holding in her hand
the broken handlebar with the useless
brake hanging Imply thereto.
AS she flew past Gerald he jumped at
his machine and in a second was tearing
madly down the hill after her. Still her
machine ran steadily, but he knew that
she would never get round the corner by
Wodley Pool. The front wheel OF her
bicycle, too, might hit a stone, which
would mean that the machine would turn
and throw it's rider. And at the pace at
which she was travelling that would have
almost the gravest OF consequences.
On, on. he tore, but his quarry had had
a good start of him.. On, on, he pedalled
as he had never pedalled In his life be-
fore, and every minute that fearful corner
grew closer and closer. And now he was
so near that the whirl OF the wheel of her
machine was quite apparent. Then he
cried out TO her:
Keep calm, Ethel; I'm here-Gerald
Sinclair"
Then he put every ounce into his work
and closed right UP. nerving himself for
the final effort. The corner by Wodley
Pool was now only about two hundred
yards off, and 1t must be now or never!
He was tearing along beside her, but he
dare neither look nor speak, the tension
was too great. With a hasty glance at
the speeding landscape on the right OF
him, for Wodley Pool was on the left, and
with a silent prayer, he suddenly threw
his left arm around the waist OF Ethel
Walrond, and with a vicious tug, turned
his flying bicycle into the hedge.
AS he turned he took his remaining hand
from the bars and held Ethel from him
with both arms, while. with a tearing,
sickening crash. he was thrown violently
into the hedge.
And then 1t seemed he fell downtown,
all the time holding Ethel out OF danger.
On and on he seemed to fall until he lay
30 peacefully, as 1t were, in the deep blue
sea which always seemed to be below him
as he was falling. Then he remembered
nothing more until he opened his eyes and
they encouraged those of Ethel Walrond.
His wandering gaze went around the
room wherein he lay. He didn't know 1t at
all, and what was Ethel doing? Why
did his arm u so?
"0h thank heaven!" murmured Ethel.
as she saw his eyes open. But when she
saw the wondering. vacant gaze, she bent
over him, crying:
1T is /, Ethel walrond. Don't you know
me, Mr.. SinclairP'
Yes, L know you, Ethel" came the
feeble response. A blush dyed her face
as he used her Christian name, which be-
came more and more pronounced as the
sufferer, with his glance running vacantly
around the room, muttered: Ethel, dear.
my Ethel" hen he reiapsed into uncon-
seriousness again.
1t appeared that in falling he had broken
his right arm and sustained a slight con-
cussion OF the brain. But. beyond the
shock, Ethel had received no injury what
ever. Her bicycle had jumped the fence
OF Wodley Pool and lay secure In the mud
at the bottom thereof, where IL In doubt
less lying this very day. Gerald had been
picked up and carried into a n~eighboring
house, where the inhabitants had, like
good Samarttans, taken him In and cared
for MIN.
A doctor had soon arrived from Nine
head. and IN a couple OF days, with the
exception OF his broken arm. Gerald was
high on the road to perfect health.
Ethel had constituted herself as his
nurse and Gerald told himself he would
willingly have broken both arms and legs
to have secured such attendance. How
sweetly she had thanked him, too, and he
was ready to swear that he had felt her
hand moving the hair from his forehead
when he was supposed to have been un-
conscious.
She was at his bedside now with that
COMPOUNDED medicine the physician had
sent him. He gulped Ii down and returned
the glass. AS Ethel went TO take Ii their
hands met, the glass fell from Gerald's
hand on to the bed, and he held her hand
a safe prisoner.
Ethel" he whispered, don't go away
from me-
Shyly she gazed at him. and then, kneel-
ing down by the bedside so that his left
arm encircled her. she softly said:
II don't want to, Gerald" Then. ten
| derby. SO as not to disturb the broken arm.
she placed her arms around his neck and
kissed him on the lips, while he, hardly
knowing whether he was awake or dream
ing, strained her to him as well as he was
able with his one sound arm.
Now I can thank you properly for my
lifel" she whispered. And she did.
And that Is how Ethel Walrond became
Mrs. Gerald Sinclair. And that Is why
she gave UP her work In connection with
"Women's Rights" although they always
bless the cause because that was the first
thing that brought them together.
Slaughter of Game in South Africa.
From South Africa.
Aa-f-