Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1910-05-20

VI
man was lying close to the trail, hi
white face turned upward, his arm
stretched out As the girl knelt be
side him strand of her black hal
fell from beneath her soft, gray ha
aud touched his face. He twitche,
his eyes open.
For moment he was bewildered
Then he slowly smiled.
"Howdy, lady?" he hoarsely said.
The girl drew back.
"Ain't you got any sense2" sh,
brusquely asked.
Very little," he lazily answered
Whats the new proof?"
'Lyin' out here in tn sum-" sht
said. Come, lift yourself. Here
hook onto this" And she gave hin
her hand.
He was weak and limp, and for a
moment he tottered, but she held tc
him firmly.
"Wobbly." he said. with a quick
smile.
Get your bearings, she command.
ed. "straighten up. My. but you're
a rag!"
A mere frazzle." he smillngly add
ed. "The next pun Of wind may be
expected to futter me along and hang
me on the nearest bush"
Cut out tn poetry" said the girl.
"and brace up. Can you walk now?D
He tested his feet carefully.
They seem to be dependable" he
replied. "Wbither away, fair lady?'
Drop it." said the girl sharply.
No foolishness. I'm neither fair nor
a lady" She pulled up the strayfng
strand Of her hair as she spoke and
tucked it under her hat.
His smiling eyes followed her
movements.
I'm sick man." he said; "an alb
ject example OF masculine helpless
ness. Sick men must be permitted to
babble. Even at the risk Of incurring
your displeasure shall allude to
you as Diana Of the plains"
plain enough, heaven knows"
said the girl. But there, tn sun has
got into your think box. You'll be
seeln' things an screeehin' next.
Come"
lie leaned on her heavily as they
moved toward the pony. Aud the ef-
tort caused him to cough feebly.
Il don't know what's come over
me. he family said. 81 seemed pret-
ty fit this morning."
ITS tn sleepin' in tn sun at noon
day. ! tell you." said the girl sharp
Iy. Nobody but tenderfoot would
do a fool thing like that. Kin you
hold on to tn pony?"
Il think so" he replied. i've held
on to bigger ones. But where are you
taking me, Diana?"
my name is plain Anna" said the
girl brusquely. I'm takin' you down
to our ranch. TIL cabin is beyond tn
clump o. trees yonder ON tn creek. 1
live there with Uncle Jim. Let me
help you
She got Linn balanced on the saddle
and led the pony down the trail and
across the lowlands to thecreek. Pres
emily they came in sight Of the cabin,
a half bungalow affair, with wide
porehes. and flowers and climbing
vines all about it, and with the creek
quite wide and noisy stream
splashing along 100 feet away.
The girl helped the stranger down
and led him to the porch and put him
in a big, clumsy rocker with many
cushions, and ran and fetched him a
drink. He slipped the contents of the
glass slowly.
Il thought was going to faint" he
said presently. THAT was the reason
| didn't have more to say to you. I'm
usually pretty gabby. It's fine here"
He looked around with an approv-
ing smile.
The girl whistled to the pony and
the latter trotted around the bushes
and disappeared behind the house.
Then she took seat on the single
step of the porch.
You from tn East?" she asked.
Boston"
Doctor sent you out here, of
course?"
Yes. He gave me up. all right.
Said Southern California was my only
hope, l came out more to ohligs him
than anything else."
Come alone?"
"Yes."
mo folks?"
Mother She's abroad.
Where are you stoppin'?"
Los Angeles. I'm in sanitarium
there. Don't like it It's lonesome.
Been there week. Don't sleep we'll
Made up my mind to run away this
morning. Boarded train. Got of
at second station. Wandered up and
down and fell asleep. Then you
came"
He told this in series of little
gasps and the girl studied his face
while she listened.
How old are your" she abruptly
asked.
''Thirty-four.
You're young yet
He knew what she meant.
Oh, we'll" he smilingly answered.
I've seen almost everything worth
seeing and I'm pretty tired q it ALL"
She shook her head. She was CON
sidering.
What you want is to live out in
the open," she said. Some do get
well. you know. There was girl
come down here from Sacramento.
Pretty far gone, too. she was TIL
daughter OF an old friend of Uncle
Jims' We put up a tent for her out