Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-02-10
BY HKWL GHF

Her feeling toward him at the mo-
ment was like that she manifested to-
} ward her brother. Il dOn't mind, if it
helps you,' she answered, but flush
rose to her face.
1.-THE boys 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
little past 3. faint and far, arose the
cheerful growing of Il 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 u
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 i'll her
| throat with fear of the body on the
| floor She ran as silently as possible,
as if to avoid rousng some fierce ami
NAL, and was close upon the men be-
| fore they saw her.
| whats that?' she heard one 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 shotT'
Their responses were 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 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
to the house. and in Il sort of daze the
other herders 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 a way that made them shrink
and asked: Flows the fire? Did you
stop it,"
Baker replied, Yes we got her I'M
der"
Raymond half closed his eyes. I'm
glad you're here. This lady needs
rest. Somebody did for me. Baker.
you and Jones and Shuttle stay here
Perry you saddle horse and get Abe
and his wife. Miss Rupert, you go to
bed: the boys will look after me now
1 can't let you wear yourself out for
me-"
But Ann could not so easily be put
aside from her plain duty. mo, I will
stay till the doctor comes"
At last. when the wounded man was
lying comfortably on Il 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 a sleepy
kitten. followed his sister into the in
ner room and stood in silence till his
bewilderment left him and his per-
plexity crystallized into words Then
he said:
Jupiter! 1 didn't know you could
do such things. What do you think?
Is he going to die?"
81 don't know, laddie. 1 hope not.
I've done all can"
Ann must have dropped asleep there
after, for when she woke thehoriZontaI
rays of the flaming sun filed 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 a new and singu-
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 a tall, broad shouldered,
slatternly woman, who stood over Ray
mond with a 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,
Good morning." she called, and her
infections and many of her phrases
were masculine You must "a had Il