Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1911-12-06

t0du ll0 L0er6 lelple8D, gaSplQ8 10Y
breath, scarce: conscious even Of my
deliverance. Then, as sufficient
strength returned for action. l rolled
the body Of the dead brute off me-,
and lifting myself by aid Of the wall
against which my head rested. looked
about. Two broken chairs overturned
upon the floor, and the shapeless.
huddled body Of my late assailant,
alone spoke of the violence Of that
deadly struggle; but the cabin was
yet fun Of smoke, and could per
ceive the figure OF the girl leaning
against the frame of the open door.
the revolver still graspeC in her hand.
Her posture was that Of a frightened
deer. as her terror-filled eyes sought
the dark interior.
1t is safely over" said weakly.
for my breath yet came to me in
Cssps. 'The brute is dead"
could scarcely mark her coming
across the narrow streak of moon
light, moving toward me as a fright
eIed bird might, startled at every
thing, and passing as far from the
lifeless mass on the floor as the small
space would allow AS she bent
anxiously over me her face was SO IN
shadow that l could distinguish moth.
ing Of its features.
what is it? Are you indeed severe:
~ hurt?" .s.@.@.
"Not seriously, think. yet have
lost some blood, and am in great pain.
There is brandy in the inner pocket
of my Jacket, but l am unable to
move my arm in order to reach it.
Would you endeavor to draw the flask
out?"
felt her bend over me, her soft
breath coming almost in sobs upon my
race, as with trembling fingers she
undid the buttons of my troopers
jacket and extracted the small flat
flask had been thoughtful enough
to store away there.
The fiery liquid seemed to put new
blood into my veins. and with it there
returned all my old-time .audacity.
with that intense hopefulness in which
had been trained by years of wal
and self-reliance. @E,.t
Il trust you realize" said. that
am neither thoughtless nor migrate
full Years of war service make one
careless of life. but ] know it was
your shot that saved me. You are a
BRAY, girl"
Her overtaxed nerves gave way al
my words, and knew she was crying
softly. The sobbing was in her voice
as she strove to speak.
"Oh, no, l am not; you do not
guess how great a coward I am.
scarcely knew what was dong wher
| fired That horrid thing-what was
it," - :"
IA huge mastiff, imagine; one Of
the largest of his breed But what
ever it may have been, the beast
is dead, and we have nothing more
to fear from him" -
yet l tremble so,". she confessed
frightens me-" "
realized that no amount OF con
versation would quiet her nerves Sc
! effectively as some positive action; be
sides, felt the hot blood constantly
trickling down my arm. and realized
that something needed t. be done a.
once to stanch its flow, before weak
ness should render me equally useless
DO you think you could build {
fire on the hearth yonder?" l asked
Il am afraid I am hardly capable o.
helping you as yet; but we mus
have ligh. in this gloomy old hole
or it is bound to craze us both TAX,
those broken chairs if you find moth
ing better"
She instantly did as babe her
moving here and there about the rooa
until she gathered together the mn
terials necessary, but keeping care
fully away from where the dead dol
lay, until in brief space Of time tn,
welcome flame leaped up in the wild,
black chimney, and cast it's red glar:
all over the little room The activit,
did her good, the light flooding tn,
gloomy apartment yielded renewed
courage, and there was a cheerie,
sound in her voice as she came bacl
| to me.
GO BE CONT1NUED.)