The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1908-02-01

and out OF sight In the bushes -bn
run now--for your life''
As she sprane 10 her feet, with hel
limbs trembling under her In a panic
Of sudden fear Robert Lea snatchel
a flag from his dead companion
grave and stepped forward, placing
/ himself between her and the ugly
/ brute,
With smothered sob Nerissa
I gathered up her skirts and ran. the
below Of the bun filling her ears. Hes
FIXING feet found uncertain footing
/ among The uneven mounds. and be
| fore she had gone far She stumbled
/ and fell in scarlet heap, with her
ankle So twisted under her that she
! was utterly unable TO rise, She heard
a sharp cutlery AS she went down, and
in horror she thought, He has met
his DEATH,
But his cry had been for her--not for
hlmself-and when She dared look
around she saw thar Robert had
turned the great animal. and was
fencing with him. Haunting the Nag in
his face and-ever retreating before
him with the wiIes aud caution OF an
experienced bnll-fsher--was enticine
the beast on and on IN the opposite
direction from where she lay
One misstep ON that uneven ground
would mean certain and awful death,
and he knew IL; yet he never swerved
or faltered I'narmed, agile, wary
full OF nerve and perfectly fearless
this was the man she had openly de
nounced as a coward
But what had happened now? Had
blind terror seized him at last? For
as he freed himself from the labyrinth
OF paths and swelling mounds, and
gained the level drive, Robert sudden
~ turned his back on the bull and
sprang orward-running as if for his
liie-while the animal, with head
down. plunged after him, believing
and gaining upon him at every step
And so they passed, in an ugly vision.
out through the gate and from Nerls-
sa's sight
The next she knew the gate was
shut, and Robert was fastening
toward her, GREATNESS, empty-handed
and unharmed
"Nerissa, are You hurt?" he cried,
bending over her where she lay in a
huddled heap,
She was very pale and was trem,
bling pitifully, and now she began to
sob quietly.
Its nothing-only my ankle
can't moye-but it doesn't matter. /
was so afraid"
Yes know" he painted, as he lift.
ed her into an easier position; but
there's no danger now-no, none at
an for she was clinging 10 his hand
like a child who is still afraid But
she hid her face, as If refusing to be
comfored.
Oh after that first mad moment |
vas not afraid-for myself" she
sobbed at last 1t was for you-but
you feared nothing. could see that
and had dared call you a coward, 1t
was the brayest thing ever knew"
lie looked down at her with sur
prised and puzzled smile, for how can
a mere man ever hope TO gauge a
girls estimate of his actions?
A short distance beyond the GENE
terry Nerissa saw an ox-cart, and asked
to be taken home in that
So bargain was made and soon
Nerissa was enthroned on a couch of
hay.
But-won't you ride, too?' she
said.
NO, | Will walk alongside"
Please ride; j want you-beside |
me, she murmured and Robert, with
a new light in his eyes, climbed in
He carried her again from the OK
cart to the house. And then. for he |
was a physician, and it was Nerissas
request that he should do so. he |
up the aching ankle
Then once more he stood before her |
and said "good-by."
"But-why must you go away
now" Nerissa asked, nervously. as
she realized that in the amends she
wished to make she was to have no
help
Because my arrangements are all
made and my word is given. | go to
start my life afresh in a new place. It
s too late to change my mind now
syen II | wished to do so" he said
Did you think J would care to stay
lere-permanently--after what haG
,ccurred2"
Mo- suppose not" she admitted
yistfnlly, still am sorry Then. /
holding fast by the remembrance that
he had that day declared he loved her
till, she shut her eyes and added.
Robert. tell me this.
when you gave them your word you
would gold you promise you would
The news OF Nerissa's reengage-
nent TO Robert Lea. and that she was
,oing away to begin life with him in
! western town. came like a thunder
'olt TO Nerissa's family and friends.
Well, Rob is a splendid fellow. and /