The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1909-01-07

sanirky face now. She had passed him
On the day Tom Fielder had walked
with her from the Mountain Valley
House, and the lawyer had told her he
lived in the cabin just below the Knob,
where she so often sat. She felt
culver of repulsion.
he is not intoxicated she said
coldly. HE is ILL., You know him,
then?"
"Know him." he echoed and laugh
ed-a dry, cackling laugh. II ought to.
And guess he knows me-" He shook
the inert arm. Get up, Hugh!' he
said. cts Prendergast!'
There flashed through her mind the
phrase of the surly hotel keeper, ellis
side partner, Prendergast!" Could it
be? Had Hugh really lived in the cab
In on which she had so often peered
down during those past weeks? And
with this chosen crony!
She touched Prendergast's arm. HE
is ill, I say" she repeated. "He must
be cared for at once. Your cabin is on
the hillside, isn't it?''
His cabin" he corrected. "a rough
place, but it has sheltered us both. 1
am but guide, philosopher and friend"
She bit her lips. Lift him on my
horse" she said. She stopped and put
her hands under the twitching shoul-
ders. II will help you. I am quite
strong
With her aid he lifted the swaying
form on to the saddle and supported
r. while Jessica led the way.
Here is the cutoff" he said pres
emily. "Ah, you know itv' for she had
turned into the side path that led
along the hill, under the gray, snake
Hike fume-the shortest route to the
grassy shelf on which the cabin stood.
1The byway was steep and rugged,
and rhododendron clumps caught at
her ankles, and once she heard a snake
slip over the dry rustic of leaves, but
she went on rapidly, dragging at the
bride, turning back now and then
anxiously to urge the horse to greater
speed. She scarcely heard the often
savely honeyed compliments which
Prendergast offered to her courage.
It seemed an eternity they climbed.
In reality it was scarcely twenty min
utes before they reached the grassy
knoll and the cabin, whose crazy
swinging door stood wide to the night
air. She tied the horse, went in and
at Prendergast's direction found
matches and lit candle. The bare,
two room interior it revealed was un-
h n 1J,e,
"A table and a couple of hewn chairs
were almost its only furniture. The
window was broken and the roof ad-
mttted sun and rain. Prendergast laid
the man they had brought on one of
the hunks and threw over him a shah
by blanket.
my dear young lady," he said, you
thank you. my poor friend here and
~
Jessica had taken money from her
pocket and now she held it out to
him. He must have DOCTOR" she
said. "You must fetch one.'
The yellow eyes fastened on the bill.
even while his gesture protested "You
shame me-" he exclaimed. "And vet
you are right. 1t is for him" He
folded it and put it into his pocket.
LAS soon as have built fire I will
go for our local medico. He will not
always come at the call of the luck
less miner All are not so charitable
as YOU
He united her horse and extended q
hand but she mounted without his
help. HE will thank you one day,
this friend of mine,'' he said. ''far bet
ter than can do
1T is not at all necessary to tell
him" she replied frigidly The sick
are always to be helped In every cir
cumstance."
She gave her horse the rein as she
spoke and turned him up the steep
path that climbed back of the cabin,
past the Knob. and so by a narrow
trail to the mountain road.
August Prendergast stood listening
to the dulling hoof beats moment,
then re-entered the cabin. The man on
the bunk had lifted to sitting posi-
ton. His eyes were open. dazed and
staring
That's right" the older man said.
You're coming round. How does it
feel to be back in the old shebang?
Can't guess how you got here, can
you? You were towed on horseback by
beauty, Hughey. my boy-a rip STAY
ing beauty! I'll tell you about it in the
morning If you're good"
The man he addressed made no an
swer. His eyes were on the other, in
dustrious and bew1ldered.
II heard about the row." went on
Prendergast. '"They didn't think it
was in you, and neither did IT, BE
looked at him cunningly. Neither did
Moreau, eh, eh? You're a clever one,
Hugh, but the lost memory racket
won't stand you in anything. You
hadn't any call to get scared in the
6rst place. don't tell all know"
He showed the candle nearer on the
IN h1o S6Nhnrose