Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1906-08-17
CHAPTER Y.
OR long time the silence re
NAMED unbroken except now
and then when the girl bent

- over the silent figure to ask.
~Can do anything for your Each
time she listened with added fear. bop
Ing eagerly for his voice. "Oh, wish
we could do something she whispered
now and again to Louis.
The boy, worn out with his days ex-
element. struggled manfuIly to keep
awake, but as the night deepened slunl-
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
cred him to the floor, where he slept, his
cheek piIlowed upon her feet
Again the singularity of the chance,
the absurd unreality of the situation,
came upon the self contained girl, In
citing her to a sort Of hysterical langh-
ter. Here now she sat-Ann Rupert,
most conventional of persons-tn rude
ranch house, alone with a strange.
rough man sleeping in a 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
tensely waiting, hoping each moment
Tor deliveranco, 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.
At last immobility became intolera-
BILE, and, lowering Louis head to the
door; she gently placed his doubled
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 suffering7 Can l do
anything for your
He turned his head slowly and with
glance which made her shiver an
swered: "No; have ceased to bleed.
nm going to pull through If my pulse
keeps down. Won't you take ity'
Timidly taking his brown wrist in
her soft finger tips she tried to count
the pulsing of his blood.
He waited a little time In silence,
then said: tits there, but it's weak.
Don't you feel iti''
Yes; 1t is more regular now" she
answered.
I'm not going to de-" he continued
In hoarse, fiat tone. ~ 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. I can't afford to
n die now. You've reused me. There's
something In the world for me to do"
a You must not talk" she whispered.
n please 1t will do you HARM"
She put her hand impulsively on his
\ forehead az II he were child, and he
H closed his eyes and lay In silence for
h several minutes. When she withdrew,
her palm he muttered: Leave 1t there.
n Itds 80 cool and soft. !"
Would you like wet cloth on your
hsady,
mo 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, IL 1t
helps you.n she answered, but flush
\ rose to her face.
"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.
A I'm eli right" he said.
II shall not leave you" she firmly re-
| piled.
You're mighty good" he said sim
\ ply.
The night wore on Unfortunately. At
4 ! little past 8, faint and far, arose the
/ cheerful Growing Of cock. Her heart
4 burned with joy-the morning was
A neari A. she waited the light came
4 and voices, faint and far away, touched
Il her ear, and then slowly, moving in q
disorderly squad, the weary fighters Of
Il flames came riding down the slope and
4 across the meadow.
H 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
4 their saddles and turned their tired
4 pentes loose. Surely they will come
/ new" Then all was still save the crow
\ Ing Of the cocks and that sad bowling
1 Of the volt on the hill.
h Unable to endure the suspense, she
A 4aptoed across the floor and hurried out
4 toward the corrals, her heart In her
] throat with fear OF the body, on the
4 Moor. She ran as silently as possible,
- r TO avoid rousing some fierce AMI
4 NAL. and was close upon the men be-
1 1bre they saw her.
| What's that2 she heard one quick,
keen voice cry out.
Then each man rose from the heap Of
\ blankets wherein he lay curled like an
4 asct1c dog.
Ann answered them breathlessly.
Come to the house, quick Mr.. Ray
\ mond is shotp'
I Their responses, were like bullets:
4 sohotl Who shot himr'
.Home one fired ont Of the darkness
l - was standing In the doorway. I'm
~ alpna. He must have helpr'
where's Watsonr
s1one for the DOCTOR
Shaking loose from his bed, Baker
l ata1ted "a the run for. the house, but
Ann crisd out sharply: wait! Go
Il 4mstty. You must not excite him"
4 And walking beside him, she returned
] to ths house, and In a sort Of daze the
other hsrders silently followed. The
Ddngls Of Bakers big spurs, familiar
md penetrating, called Raymond to a
knowledge Of his surroundings.
He turned his head and looked at the
man In a way. that made them shrink
and asked: sHow's the nfe2 Did you
l otop it?"