Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1909-07-23

me iFenchman looked at her won
derIngly. not comprehending this sud.
den lenlency.
let him alone. You've nearly kill
ed him That's enough" Whereat
Runnion broken In body and spirit.
began to beg for his life.
! Watts dat you say JUS now?" Do
ret asked Tho girl. "NNas dat de truth
for sure wat you speak,"
. YES. but you've done your work.
Don't touch him again"
, He hesita,ed. and Runnion. quick to
observe 1t. added his entreaty to hers
I'm beaten. Doret. You broke me
J to pieces. need help-I-I'm hurt"
/ "W'at yoa spec do wit 'imY' the
Canadian asked. and she answered.:
81 suppose we'll have to take him
where he can get assistance"
dat sklff ain carry all tree of u.s."
OH stay here" groaned the fright.
| ened man. "I'll wait for steamer to
| pick ne up. but for Gods sake don't
touch me again"
Poleon looked him over carefully and
made up his mind that the man was
more injured In spirit than In body,
/ for outside Of his battered muscles he
showed no fatal symptoms. Although
| the vOyageur was slower to anger than
| n child. grudge never died in him.
and his simple. self taught creed knew
For ,f.h
MON, cherished no mercy for preying
men or beasts He glanced toward the
wooded shores a stones throw above,
then back at the coward he had beaten
and whose life was forfeit under the
code. There was a queer light In his
eyes
Leave him here, Poleon. Well go
away. you and |. in the canoe, and the
FIRST boat will pick him up. Come"
, Necia tugged at his wrist for fear she
might not prevail. but he was bent on
brushing away handful Of hungry
mosquitoes which, warmed by the
growing day, had ventured out on the
, river His face became wrinkled and
: set.
"Rienr' he grunted. I'VE lef' i'm
here because dere amt 'nough room
in de batteau, eh? All right. OATS
good ting But he's seeck man. so
lnebbe feex 1t him nice place for stop
till dem boats come"
I mn har
it through all right" begged Runnion.
Better you camp yonder on de point.
were you can see dose steamboat wen
she comes roun' de ben. Dis Is bad
place" He Indicated the thicket. a
quarter of mile above which ran out
almost to the cut bank. Come. | help
You get feex."
Runnion shrank from his proffered
assistance half fearfully, but, reassur-
I ed. allowed the Frenchman to help him
toward the shore.
1--WE tell it de first boat bout you
an dey pick you up. You wait here.
Necia."
The girl watched her rescuer guide
RunnioD UP to the level Of the woods
then disappear with him In the frs
and was relieved to see the two
emerge upon the river bank again far
Their On. for she had feared for an In
slant that Poeon might forget There
seemed to be no danger, however, for
he was crashing through the brush In
advance Of the other, who followed
laboriously. Once Runnion gained the
high point be would be able to COM
mand view of both reaches OF the
civer and could make signals to at
tract the FIRST steamboat that CHANGED
to come along. Without doubt craft
of some sort would pass from one d.
recti0n or the other by tomorrow at
latest, or, If not, she and POleOn could
send back succOr to him from the first
habtatiOn they encountered. The two
men disappeared again, and her fears
had begun to prey on her a second
time when she beheld the big Cana
dian returning He was hurrying
bit, apparently TO be rid Of the mos
quitoes that swarmed about him, and
she marked that. in addition to whip
ping himself with handful Of black
berry bushes. be wore Runnion's coat
to protect his shoulders.
'Woof! Dose skeeter bug is hon
cry" he cried.
''Dis nice batteau," Poleon remarked
critically; II max 1t so fas'," and be
gan to row swiftly, seeking the breeze
of the open river in which to shake
off the horde Of singing pests that
had risen with the sum- II come way
queeck without tinkin bout gun or
skeeter net or not'in'. Runnion she's
len me dis coat, so mebbe | don look
so worse lax do JUS now, eh?'
"How did you leave him? Is he
badly injurcdY
mo; / bus 1t up on de face an de
rib, but she's feelin' good now. Yes,
I'm leave i'm nice place for stop an
wait on~de steamboat-plaintee spruce
bough for set on"
She began to shudder again. and,
sensitive to her every motion. he asked
solictously II she were sick, but she
shook her head.
"I-l-was thinking what-supposing
you hadn't come. Oh, Poleon. you
don't know what you saved me from"
She leaned forward and laid tiny.
grateful hand on the huge brown paw
that rested on his oar. 81 wonder II
can ever forget!'
She noted that they were running
with the current and inquired:
Where are we golng?"
WAL. can't pull dis boat 'gainst