Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-01-23

eAAAA NJ ADCt INV CAe naQ passed ulD
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 20 often sat She felt
CULVER OF repulsion.
HE is not intoxicated" she said
coldly. He is 81. You know him.
theng'
Know him. ne echoed and laugh
ed-a dry. cackling laugh. II ought to.
And I guess he knows me" He shook
the inert arm. Get up. Hughr" he
said. Its Prcudergastr'
There flashed through her mind the
phrase OF the surly hotel keeper. "His
side partner. Prendergastr' Could Il
beg Had Hugh really lived IN the cab
in on which she had so often peered
down during those past weeks? And
with this chosen cronyi
She touched Prendergasts 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 IL has sheltered US both. /
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. Il win help you. am quite
strong"
With her aid he lifted the swayiu-
form on 90 the saddle and supported
it. while Jessica led the way.
Here is the cutoff" ne said pres
emily. "Ah. you know itr' Tor she had
turned into the side path that led
along the hill under the gray. snake
like lume-the shortest route 20 the
grassy shelf on which the cabin stood.
The byway was steep and rugged
and uhododendron clumps caught nj
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
auxiOusly 90 urge the horse 20 greater
speed. She scarcely heard the often
sively honeyed compliments which
Prendergast offered 20 her courage.
IL seemed an eternity they climbed
In reality IL was scarcely twenty min
utes before they reached the grassy
knoll and the cabin. whose crazy
swinging door stood wide 10 the night
air. She tied the horse. went In and
at Prendergasts direction found
matches and lit a candle The bare.
two room interior 70 revealed was un-
kempt and disordered. Rough hunks.
a table and a couple OF hewn chairs
We're almost It's only furniture. The
window was broken and the roof al.
mitted 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
are good Samaritan. How shall we
thank you. my poor friend here and
Il"
Jessica had taken money from her
pocket. and now she held IL out TO
him. HE must have a doctor" she
said. you must fetch one"
The yellow eyes fastened on the bill
even while his gesture protested. "You
shame mer' he exclaimed. And yet
you are right II is for him" He
folded it and put It into his pocket.
'As soon as i have built a FIRE will
go for our local medico. He VIII not
always come at the call OF the luck
less miner. All are not so charitable
as you"
He united her horse and extended a
hand. but she mounted without his
help. 'He win thank you one day.
this friend OF mine" he said, "far bet
ter than ] can do"
at 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
train to the mountain road.
August Prendergast stood listening
to the dulling hoof beats a moment
then re-entered the cabin. The man on
the bunk bad lifted TO q sitting POSI-
ton His eyes were open, dazed and
staring.
That's right" the older man said.
you're coming round. How does 1t
feel TO be back IN the old shebang?
Can't guess how you got here. can
you? You were towed on horseback by
a beauty. Hughey. my boy-a rip stav-
ing beauty! ri tell you about 1t in the
morning II you're good"
The man he addressed made no an
swer His eyes were on the other, In
dustrious and bewildered.
Il heard about the row." went on
Prendergast They didn't think II
was in you. and neither did l." He
looked at him cunningly. Neither did
Moreau, eh. Ell? 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
brst place. | don't tell all know"
He showed the candle nearer on the
table. There's a queer look IN your