The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1906-03-23

D0F rose ABOUT MIN Ike WE6At0 OF sUO- A
humbing incense. His sense 7of What
had taken place dulled, bis head no1-
ded and dropped, and at last Ann low
cred him to the floor, where he slept, hi
cheek pillowed upon her feet.
Again the singularity of the chance.
the absurd unreality Of the situation,
came upon the self contained girl, In
ter. Here now she sat--Ann Rupert,
most conventional Of persons-in rude
ranch house, alone with a strange,
rough man sleeping in a deathllke
trance before her. rs
The minutes elongated like bands Of
rubber, attaining the length of quarter
hours, and the night stretched away
into horrifying distance as she sat
tensely waiting, hoping each moment
for deliverance, 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
howled. .. n
At last immobility became intolera-
bic, and, lowering Louis head to the
floor, she gently placed his doubled
coat beneath it and with mighty. e.
fort of the will bent again above the
pallid man, so tragic in his supineness,
and whispered: t*s.
"Are you still suffering? Can I do
anything for your,
He turned his head slowly and with
4 glance which made her SILVER an
swered: mo; I have ceased to bleed.
I am going to pull through If my pulse
keeps down. Won't you take it2"
Tlmidly. taking his brown wrist in
her soft finger tips she tried to count
the pulsing Of his blood.
He waited little time in silence,
then said: tits there, but it's weak.
Don't you feel it?"
eyes; it is mora regular now" she
answered.
I'm not going to die" he continued
In a hoarse, fiat tone. Il could get up
and mount horse right now, only I'd
bleed If did. It's hard to keep quiet,
but I'm going to do it. 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 child, and he
closed his eyes and lay in silence for
1everal minutes. When she withdrew
her palm he muttered: leave it there.
Its 80 cool and soft" y
''Would you like wet cloth ON your
heady' T. ''.-.*~f-~.. >~.., ~.
- ''No-only your hand-if you don't
mind: ~. -sa., Z. -. -.
E.. Her feeling toward him at the mo
ment was like that she manifested to-
ward her brother. II don't mind, II. it
helps4Iou, = abe answered, hut 4 hush
rose to her face. yssf .:,.,-:s1
1.-THE boys will come in soon, and
then you can go to bed and rest. I'm
sorry to trouble you You can 60 now.
I'm al right" he said. -~...: .-l--.i@ .:
II shall not leave you" she firmly re-
piled. :. ..-@s ~. ,..a-
"You're mighty good" he said sim
ply. ..
= Tie night wore on Interminably. At
4 little past 8, faint and far, arose the
cheerful Growing Of a 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, the 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
of the wolf on the hill.
Unable to endure the suspense, she
tiptoed across the floor and hurried out
toward the corrals, 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 one quick,
keen voice cry out. J.
Then each man rose from the heap of
wherein he lay curled like an
arctic dog.
Ann answered them breathlessly.
''Come to the house, quick. Mr.. Ray
mond Is shOt!' 4
Their responses were like bullets:
''Shot! Who shot him?'
"Some one fired out of the darkness
be was standing in the doorway. I'm
Ill alone. He must have helpv' 49,.
'Where's Watson"
"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
70 the house, and In 4 sort Of daxe the
other herders silently followed. The
|angle Of Bakers big spurs, familiar