Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-05-13
Among the Apple Trees
By Clifford v.
Gregory
CHAPTER II.

CHAPTER IL.
LADYS picked herself up and
IL - shook the snow out Of hel
IN eyes. The soft snow had
broken her fall and kept hel
from getting hurt. She looked around
for Mollie and saw her standing in q
~ vt up to her knees little ways
IN the road, with nothing left Of the
Y but the thills. In a moment
had waded through the snow
e mare and was loosening the
y I straps. AS soon as the thills were
unfastened she leaped to Mollie's back
and headed her again toward town
and the doctor.
Mollie was much better as a driver
than as rider, and Gladys found rid.
ing her without saddle hard, jolting
work. But she set her teeth and held
grimly to the little mares name, urg.
ing her to a still faster gait.
She was almost to the town now and
could see the light in the doctors big
house on the corner. In another mo-
ment she was at the door. Giving
Mollie's reins twist around the post,
she ran up the steps and rang the
doorbell.
1.-THE doctor" she said in reply to
Gladys breathless question. Pm sor-
~, but he started to Kensett just
about ten minutes ago."
Gladys started back as If she had
been struck. The doctors wife sprang
forward and caught her. "Why, my
girl" she cried, you're all tired out.
Come in and get warm"
Gladys shook her head. I'll must
catch the DOCTOR" she gasped. HAS
he a saddle can take"
The Doctors wife, quickly realizing
that this was no ordinary call, pointed
toward the barn and hurried into the
house after the lantern. 1t was but
a moments work to throw off the
harness and replace it with the sad
die. Gladys hesitated an instant and
then reached for the doctors riding
whip. She was so stiff that she could
hardly swing into the saddle, but she
smiled bravely back at the good doc
tors wife as she turned away into
the darkness.
Kensett was directly west, and her
own home was straight south. If she
could catch the doctor soon enough
he might still be able to get there in
, time. But what chance did weary
roll, ridden by still wearier girl have
of overtaking fresh team Of bron-
chos? Gladys leaned forward and
spoke caressingly to Mollie. The little
mare sprang nimbly forward, but
Gladys felt rather than saw that she
vas not running as easily as at first.
Minute after minute passed and still
the mare held pluckily to her pace. At
last after what seemed hours of hard
riding Gladys heard the tinkle Of Sleigh.
bells ahead. She knew the time had
come for the final squirt. She raised
her whip to strike the struggling mare,
but threw it in the snow instead.
mo ep she cried, leaning forward.
eco, Mollie, go-just for a few mo-
ments more!"
Mollie gave snort that was almost
a groan and struck a slightly faster
pace. Louder and louder sounded the
bells, and soon Gladys could see the
sleigh as black speck ahead.
Then she called with all her might,
and the sound of the bells stopped
abruptly. In moment she was be-
side the doctors cutter and in few
gasping sentences told her story.
"Ride up to the Greys' and have
them put that colt in the barn and
give her a good rubbing down." the
doctor ordered. "She's done a great \
nights, work tonight. And tell Mrs.
Grey to give you some hot coffee and
put you to bedv" He shouted the last
words back over his shoulder as he
turned quickly around and commenced
his part of the race. with life and
death.
That climb up the hill to the Greys'
seemed harder to both Mollie and
Gladys than all the rest together. Mr..
Grey lifted che exhausted girl from
the saddle and led the steaming mare
away to the barn, while his wife put
Gladys in the big chair back Of the
stove and set the old granite coffeepot
on to boil.
AT uOuS MIS-. Sdut1eCS duO MdUel
watched and waited anxiously. Mr..
Sanders moaned and tossed in a fever
ishs delirium. The towel which they
had twisted tightly around his leg had
failed to stop the bleeding entirely,
and the faces Of the silent watchers
grew white with fear as they saw the
blood slowly oozing from the frightened
bandages.
/ The patient grew weaker and more
delirt0us as the hours passed. Mrs.
Sanders ran to the window every min
ute or 10 to peer out into the darkness.
"He ought to be coming!" she cried
Historically. ooh, what if anything |
has happened to Gladys"
Mabel tried to comfort her, but with !
little success At last they heard the
Jingle Of sleighbells. and almost be-
fore they had time to look the big
doctor himself was at the door.
II wonder II you can put my team
-, ha co{d IN NfohaI h<, <l,rarr, off |