The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1907-12-25
LANGFORD
Of the
THREE
BARS@
BY
KATE AND VIRGIL D. B0YLES
tcopyrixht y 4. Q. Nstsiurs : O.. lssi.1

ses0sA
you've DONE" he said, with profession
al mournfulness.
Il know it" she smiled wanly. Il
couldn't help it. I'm sorry"
Gordon drew up a chair and sat
down by her, saying with grave kind
ness, You are fretting. We must not
let you. l am going to stay with you
all night and shoe the COLLINS away"
You are kind" said Mary, grateful
ly. May tell you when they come?
II some one speaks to me they go
away"
Indeed you may, dear child" he
exclaimed, heartily. He had been half
Joking when he spoke of keeping
things away. He now perceived that
these things were more serious than
he knew.
The doctor administered medicine to
reduce the fever, dressed the wounded
arm, with Gordon's ready assistance,
and then called in Mother White to
prepare the bed for his patient; but
he paused nonplussed before the
weight of entreaty in Mary's eyes and
voice.
please don't" she cried out in &C.
tual terror. "Oh, Mr.. Gordon, don't
let him! see such awful things when
] lie down. Please! Please. And
Mr.. Langford said might sit up till
he came. Mr.. Gordon, you will not
let him put me to bed, will you?"
Il think it would be better to let her
have her way, Locllhart,' said Gordon
in low voice.
Maybe it would, Dick" said the
doctor. with surprising meekness.
I'll stay all night and I'll take good
care of her, Lockhart There's Moth
er White reckoning to supper. You'll
eat before you go? No, | won't take
any supper now, thank you, mother,
will stay with Mary"
And he did stay with her all through
the long watches of that long night.
He never closed his eyes in sleep.
Sometimes Mary would drop off into
uneasy slumber-always of short du-
ration. When she awakened suddenly
in wide-eyed fright, he soothed her
with all tenderness. Sometimes when
he thought she was sleeping. she
would clutch his arm desperately and
cry out that there was some one be-
hind the big cottonwood. Again it
would be to ask him in terrified
whisper if he did not hear hoof-beats,
galloping. galloping, galloping, and
begged him to listen. He could al.
ways quiet her, and she tried hard to
keep from wandering; but after
short, broken rest, she would cry out
again in endless repetition of the ter
rors Of that awful night.
Mrs. White and several of her small
progeny breathed loudly from an adj
joining room A lamp burned dimly
on the table. 1t grew late-l2 o'clock
and after. At last she rested. She
passed from light, broken slumber to
deep sleep without crying out and
thus awakening herself. Gordon was
tired and sad. Now that the flush of
fever was gone, he saw how white and
miserable she really looked. The cir
cles under her eyes were so dark
they were like bruises. The mantle
OF his misfortune was spreading to
bring others besides himself into it's
somber folds.
The men were coming back. But
they were coming quietly, in grim 81.
lence. He dared not awaken Mary
for the news he knew they must carry.
He stepped noiselessly to the door to
Thorn IN q
and met Langford on the threshold.
The two surveyed each other grave
ly with clasped hands.
you tell her, Dick II can't" said
Langford. His big shoulders drooped
as under heavy burden.
Must II" asked Goraon.
Dick. IL can't" said Langford,
brokenly. Don't you see?-if | had
been just a minute sooner-and i
promised"
Yes, see, Paul." said Gordon,
quietly. Il will tell her."
You need not, said sweet clear
voice from across the room II know.
heard. think | knew all the time
but you were all so good to make me
hope. Don't worry about me any
more, dear friends. | ara all right
now. 1t is much better to know
hope they didn't hang him. You think
they shot him, don't you?"
Little girl, little GIRL cried Lang
ford, on his knees beside her. lit is not
that! 1t is only that we have not
found him. But no news is good news.
That we have found no trace proves
that they have to guard him we'll be
cause he is alive. We are going on a
new track tomorrow Believe me-
little girl, and go TO bed now, won't
you, and rest?'
Yes" she said, YEARLY, as one in
whom no hope was left, Il will go. /
will mind-the boss"
AS he laid her gently on the bed
while Mrs. White, aroused from sleep,
futtered aimlessly and drowsily about
he whispered, his breath carressing
her cheek
You will go to sleep right away,
won't you?"
or will NV, Won oro tho hOccO