The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1911-09-21

cabin
III there's nobody here he sale
aloud. as he reached corner Of The
cabin. I'm in for H. Before ! cOulc
get 10 the Two Diamond H
drew a breath OF relief sitting in
rocker on the little porch Was young
woman. She was grooming softly
while her deft fingers piled needle
In some striped material.
lie came around and stood at the
edge OF the porch lie saw her look
ing at him curiously.
I've been bit by rattler." he in.
formed her. lifting his foo, 10 the
porch floor and pointing out the
wound Il thought / might find some
one here who would
The striped material. a pair Of small
shears. a needle. and a spool Of thread
we're unceremonlously dumped TO the
yOrch floor ~ the young woman rose,
her face Whitening little.
Wait" she said sharply low
long ago? Here; take this chair
IT'S ain; been long re-lrre1 Fer
cUgon lie hohbled 10 the one step
crossed the porch and sank into the
chair The Young woman disappeared
within. Presently she Teappeared with
tin wash basin half filled with
water. a yard or 50 Of white cloth
and miniature medicine case These
she placed on the porch floor close
to the chair in which Ferguson was
sitting. Then she again reGntered the
house, returning with a sponge. She
kneeled beside him. lifting his foot
and peering closely at the wound,
This" she said rapidly.
Her eyes met his for a brief instant
lie nodded and smiled gratefully.
You know your business he said
admiringly.
Her gaze had fallen. Don't talk. "
she answered. She lifted the foot and
placed 1t in the basin, bathing the
wound with the sponge Then with
deft fingers she opened the medicine
case and drew out surgeon $ knife.
With It's keen edge she made an Y
incision over the wound. cutting deep
into the flesh. With thumb and fore
| finger she pressed IL 10 induce bleed
ing Then she sponged It again. re-
marking 1T was good thing that
you thought of that tournquet.
He sat silent while she bathed the
wound Then she produced a slender
I stick OF something and burned the
wound out to the bottom Tears OF
pain formed in Fergusons eyes. She
| looked up at him with a smile.
Hurts, does it, she asked
at amt any fun he returned She
was silent again while she bantaged
the foot. Then she rose and smiled
at him.
we will wait ten minutes she
said II you are feeling any .ll cf'
an antdote."
She went again into the cabin and
/ returned with another chair. in which
she seated herself and resumed sew
/ ing He lay back easily and watched
| her.
/ Hers was a 1.-the. vigorous figure
/ in white apron and a blue checkered
dress of some modest material. She
wore no collar, her sleeves were
showed up above her elbows, reveal
| ing a pair OF Drowned hands and
/ white arms. Her eyes were brown as
| her hair-the latter in a tumble OF
/ graceful disorder Through half-closed
7 ewes he was appraising her in a riot
/ Of admiration that threatened TO com
pletely bias his judgment And yet
women had interested him very little
The ten minutes dragged past. She
+ looked up from her sewing to see him
/ gazing steadily at her. A slight red
. ..l. Il In Of kAr
checks. He smiled
81 reckon that rattler is fooled, -
/ he said But II hadn't met up with
yon il might not have turned out like
this" lie sat erect "I'Il be Gettin'
along over TO the Two Diamond.
reckon it amt very far?'
Ten miles" she said shortly. She
had dropped her sewing into her lap
and now sat motionless. regarding
him with quiet eyes Are YOU work.
ing for the Two Diamond she Ques-
toned
"Loohiu for a job. he returned.
OH The exclamation struck him
as rather expressionless. lie ohed
sharply at her.
"Yon know the Two Diamond
folks
"Of course"
"Of course" he repeated. aware OF
the constraint in her tone, II ought
TO have known. They're neighbors Of
your'n'
They are not" she suddenly
flashed back az him
Well now" he returned slowly.
puzzled. but knowing that he was
somehow getting things wrong. I
reckon there's a lot that don't
know
N YOU are going TO work for the
Two Diamond she said coldly. you'll
know more than you do now. My
brother" Evidently she was about
10 say something more, but a sound
caught her ear and she arose. drop
ping the sewing to the porch floor
My brother is coming now" she said
A young man rode around the cor
ner Of the cabin and halted his pony
beside the porch. sitting quietly in the
saddle. gazing inquiringly at the two
He was about Ferguson's age. and
like the latter. he wore TWO heavS
guns. There was about him a certain
atmosphere OF deliberate certainty and
quiet coldness that gave an impress
4.