The Somerset reporter., 1909-02-25
"Ready?" he asked, raising his gun.

the fields.
Bang, bang, spoke Dorothy's gun.
Bang bang. echoed his.
Two birds dropped. one In line OF
Owens fire. the other over to the
right.
'Honors are event. cried Dorothy!s
IT'S a hit and a miss for each Of us!"
He sprang forward, and as the dog
brought up the dead birds he dropped
them into the sack he carried. Sudden
ly hundred feet in front Of him
partridge that had become separated
from the others ran out of the grass
bushes on the hillside.
He lifted his gun to his shoulder and
pulled both triggers. but the bird con-
tinued In its flight. Then behind him
flashed Dorothy's gun, and the par
fridge dropped like a spent rocket.
At the same moment sharp, sting
ing pain ran through Owens left hand.
Instinctively he jerked it up. 1t was
covered with blood.
His face grew pale, for be thought
that a good part of the leaden load
had struck him. He raised his arm,
and the blood ran down In tiny
rivulet over his wrist. With his right
hand he reached for his handkerchief
to stop the crimson flow. He was
conscious that the girl was running up
10 him.
Good heavensr she gasped, her face
white as chalk as she saw the blood.
1--WE shot, you, Owen"
I'm afraid you have" he said, but
not seriously, l guess"
In a second her hand had hold of the
handkerchief. and she was wiping
away the blood.
"Oh, It's not very serious!' she
breathed joyfully Look, it's only
deep. red scar now. A stray shot has
grazed the back of your hand-that is
all, thank goodness"
He looked closer and saw that what
she said was true.
But 1t must be bandaged at once"
she affirmed in deeply sympathetic
tones. I'VE must get to some water.
Come, there's little spring just over
the hill"
Hurriedly she tied a knot In the
handkerchief, and they went over the
ridge in the direction indicated. Once
at the spring she became alert Re-
moving the handkerchief from Owens
hand, she soaked 1t in the water and
then bathed the wound thoroughly.
The blood had ceased to flow, and
there was little pain. In fact, the cool
water and the pressure OF her hands
were decidedly pleasant.
Then she wrung the water out of
the handkerchief and tied 1t neatly
around his fingers Now, when we
get to the house little listerine and
new bandage will complete the opera
ton" she said
The strain over. she sank down
weakly on one of the large stones near
the stream. In a second he was all
apprehension.
"Why. what's the matter. Dorothy"
he asked. POSITIVELY you look ill!'
"Oh. It's nothing" she replied bro
kenly "Omy I'm so very. very glad
you were not badly hurt. The reac-
ton has made me little weak, that's
ALL" And she smiled again bravely.
my dear Dorothy" he said, taking
both her hands In his uninjured one.
maybe 1t is more serious than you
think"
"oh. no. itran't be dangerousr she
exclaimed In sudden alarm. 1.-THE
bleeding has stopped. hasn't it?'
"Oh. my hands all right" he replied,
you've inflicted"
Sudden terror shone In her eyes.
"Oh, Owen, dear. surely no other shot
struck you? Tell me-tell me they
didn't"
She was quivering with apprehen-
sion.
"Well, 1 don't know whether 1t was
a bullet or not" he answered. "but
feel that have been struck, and fatal
ly-right here" And he put his unin-
jured hand over his life side and
smiled at Dorothy significantly.
She caught his meaning on the In
slant.
"Are you sure, Owen. that the shot
struck home" she queried encourag-
ingly.
Dead sure Of 1t, my dear girl" he
answered.
"And what are you going to do about
1T?
There's only one thing can do"
he said-"ask you to try to heal the
heart wound as you did the other.
Will you, dearT'
But there was no verbal reply-none
was needed.
$50 1t was hearts, after all, that my
modern Diana went hunting forY' he
asked on his way home.
"It looks that way" she said, laugh
ing up at him.
Only His Share.
George" said the maiden aunt re-