Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1907-01-18

IN her excitement she fired TeckleSsly.
with pain. "How brave you were!
You might have been-Ill never forget
it-never! Don't stand there, Aunt
Fanny! Quick! Get those cushions
for him. He's hurt"
Good Lawd! was all the old wom-
an could say, but she Obeyed her mis-
tress.
"It was easier than it looked, your
highness," murmured Baldos. Luck
was with me. The knife went to his
heart. l am merely scratched. His
leap was short, but he caught me
above the knee with his claws. Alas,
your highness, these trousers of mine
were bad enough before, but now they
are in shreds. What patching | shall
have to do! And you may well imagine
we are short of thread and needles and
thimbles"
Don't jest for heavens sake! Don't
talk like that Here Lie down upon
these cushions and
"Never! Desecrate the couch of
Graustark's ruler? l, the poor goat
hunter? I'll use the lion for pillow
and the rock for an operating table.
In ten minutes my men can have these
scratches dressed and bound-in fact,
there Is a surgical student among them,
poor fellow. l think | am his first pa
tient. RavOne, attend me-"
He threw himself upon the ground
and calmly placed his head upon the
body of the animal.
"I insist upon your taking these
cushions" cried Beverly.
"And l decline irrevocably." She
stared at him in positive anger. "Trust
RavOne to dress these trihing wounds,
your highness. He may not be as
gentle, but he is as firm as any prin-
cess in all the world"
"But your arm?" she cried. Didn't
you say it was your legs? Your arm Is
covered with blood too. Oh, dear me,
| I'm afraid you are frightfully wound
| cd"
"a stray bullet from one of my men
struck me there, | think. You know
there was but little time for aiming
wait! Let me think a minutel
/ Good heayensp she exclaimed, with a
/ start. Her eyes were suddenly filed
with tears, and there was a break in
her voice Il shot you! Don't deny 1t
| don't! 1t Is the right arm, and your
men could not have hit it from where
| they stood. oh, oh, Ohw
Baldos smiled as he barred his arm.
"YOur aim was good" he admitted.
Had not my knife already been In the
lions heart your bullet would have
gone there. 1t is my misfortune that
my arm was in the way. Besides, your
highness, it has only cut through the
skin, and a little below, perhaps. 1t
will be well in a day or two. am
sure you will find your bullet in the
carcass of our lamented friend, the
/ probable owner of this place"
Ravone, hungry looking youth, took
charge Of the wounded leader, while
her highness retreated to the farthest
corner of the cavern. There she sat
and trembled while the wounds were
being dressed. Aunt Fanny hustled
back and forth, first unceremonlously
| pushing her way through the circle Of
men to take observations and then re-
porting to the impatient girl The
storm had passed, and the night was
still except for the rush of the river.
Raindrops fell now and then from the
trees, gllstening like diamonds as they
touched the light from the cavern's
mouth. 1t was all very dreary, uncan.
ny and oppressive to poor Beverly. Now
and then she caught herself sobbing
more out of shame and humiliation
than in sadness. for had she not shot
the man who "'epped between her and
death? What must he think of her?
He says yo' all d bettah go to bald
Miss Bev-yo' highness," said Aunt
| Fanny after one of her trips.
''Oh, he does, does he?" sniffed Bev,
erly. "I'll go to bed when 1 please
Tell him so. No. no-don't do it, Aunt