, 1906-03-07

NJ Az
ponies loose. "Surely they will come
now" Then all was still save the crow
ing of the cocks and that sad bowling
of the wolf on the hill.
Unable to endure the suspense, she
tiDtoed across the floor and hurried out
toward the c%orrals, her heart in her
throat with fear of the body on the
floor. She ran as silently as possible,
as if to avoid rousing some fierce ami
NAL, and was close upon the men be-
fore they saw her.
"What's that?" she heard II quick,
keen voice cry out.
Then each man rose from the heap of
blankets wherein he lay curled like an
arctic dog.
Ann answered them breathlessly
"Come to the house, quick. Mr., Ray
mond Is shot!'
Their responses We're like bullets:
"Shot! Who shot him."
"Some one fired out of the darkness
he was standing In the doorway. I'm
all alone. He must have help!
"Where's WatsonY"
"Gone for the doctor"
Shaking loose from his bed, Baker
started on the run for the house, but
Ann cried out sharply: wait! Go
quietly. You must not excite him."
And, walking beside him, she returned
to the house, and in a sort of daze The
other herdcrs silently followed. The
jangle of Bakers big spurs, familiar
and penetrating, called Raymond to a
knowledge of his surroundings.
He turned his head and looked at the
men In Il way that made them shrink
and asked: CLOVIS the fire? Did you
stop it?"
Baker replied, Eyes, we got her un-
der"
Raymond half closed his eyes. "I'm
glad you're here. This lady needs a
rest. Somebody did for me. Baker,
you and Jones and Shuttle stay here.
Perry, you saddle a horse and get Abe
and his wife. Miss Rupert, you go to
bed; the boys will look after me now.
l can't let you wear yourself out for
me-"
But Ann could not so easily be put
aside from her plain duty. mo, | will
stay till the doctor comes"
At last, when the wounded man was
lying comfortably on a thick pile of
blankets and the white light of the
morning filled the cabin, Ann yielded
to his entreaties, went to her room
and threw herself down upon her bed
with a sense of having put all her ease
full, careless girlhood behind her. 1t
was as if she had suddenly been flung
into a gray and bitter sea far from
shore.
Louis, who had been reused by the
return of the herders and who sat
watching their slow and painfully eau
tious handling of the sufferer with the
mute, Unconditional gaze of Il sleepy
kitten. followed his sister into the in
ner room and stood in silence till his
bewildermcnt left him and his per
plexity crystallized into words. Then
he said:
Jupiter! l didn't know you could
do such things. What do you think
Is he going to dep
81 don't know. laddie. | hope not.
I've done nil | can"
Ann must have dropped asleep there
after. for when he " - tie horizontal
rays of the flaming L Tiled the room
and the loud and hearty voice of a wo-
Ii IN 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 l say. You've got to eat to
keep your strength Gp."
Ann rose hastily, but paused before
the closed door with Il new and singu-
lar timidity. The coming of another
made her own position embar-
RAISING. With a return of resolution
she opened the door and met the big
gray Eyes of a tall, broad shouldered,
slatternly woman, who stood over Ray
mond with Il bowl of steaming broth in
her hand. She was neither deft nor
dainty, but Ann perceived that she was
capable and good tempered, a 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 a
right hard night of it. Friend of the
Barnetts, Rob tells me-"
Her familiarity and the essential
commences of her tone repealed Ann,
who asked, with cool dignity, Can