Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1911-10-26

accomplished, the wounded shoulder
completely barred. Her face was
deathly white now, and she shielded
her eyes with her hand.
ooh, what horrible wound!" she
exclaimed. almost sobbing How that
great brute must have hurt you!"
"The wound is not SO serious as 1T
appears" / replied reassuringly, and
glad myself to feel that spoke the
truth, "but l confess the pain is in
tense, and makes me feel somewhat
faint. 1t was not so much the mere
bite of the dog, but unfortunately he
got his teeth into an old wound and
tore it open"
"An old wound?"
Eyes; I received a MIME ball there
at Gettysburg, and although the bullet
was extracted. the wound never prop
erly healed"
She performed her disagreeable
task with all the tenderness of a
sympathetic woman, and as she
worked swiftly and deftly, made no
attempt to conceal the tears clinging
deep, jagged cash was bathed out,
and then as carefully bound up with
the softest cloths she could find at
hand. The relief was great, and felt,
as l moved the shoulder. that saving
the soreness it would probably not
greatly bother me.
Nov you must lie back and rest"
she said commandingly, as attempted
to thank her
''As your nurse l command abso-
lutte quiet" striving to speak gaily
See the daylight is already here,
and mean to discover if this lone
cabin contains anything which human
beings can eat; l confess that l am
nearly famished."
"a most excellent symptom, and I
imagine your quest will not be wholly
vain. To my eye that greatly re-
sembles slab of bacon hanging be-
side the chimney"
at indeed is, she exclaimed, "and
feel as a shipwrecked seaman must
on first beholding land
However my naturally energetic
spirit revolted at inactivity, for the
time being my faintness precluded any
thought of doing other than obeying
her orders, and 1 lay there silent,
propped up against the logs, my eager
eyes following her rapid, graceful
movements with constantly increas-
ing interest AS she worked, the re-
Election Of the red flames became
mingled with the gray dawn, until the
bare and cherries interior grew more
and more visible. Her search was far
from unsuccessful, while her resource
fulness astonished me, old campaigner
as l was; for 1t was scarcely more
than full daylight before she had me
at the table, and / was doing full
justice to such coarse food as the
larder furnished.
The eating helped me greatly; but
for some time so busy were we that
neither of us spoke. On my own part
l experienced strange hesitancy in
addressing her upon terms of equality
Ordinarily not easily embarrassed in
feminine society. I felt in this instance
definite barrier between us, which
prevented my feeling at ease. Now
and then as we sat opposite each
other, eating amid silence most I'M
pleasant, l would catch her eyes
glancing across at ne, but they were
lowered instantly whenever | ventured
to meet them. Finally | broke the
stiffness with a commonplace remark:
Il presume your people will be
greatly worried by this time over your
mysterious disappearance"
A flush swept her throat and
cheeks, but she did not lift her eyes
from the plate. yes" she answered
slowly, Frank is doubtless searching
for me long before this
"Frank?' | asked, feeling glad Of
this opportunity to learn more of her
relationships. you forget, possibly.
that your friends are strange to me.
You refer to the gentleman who ex.
pected to meet you on the road?"
ITO Major Brennan, yes"
There was nothing about the tone of
her reply that invited me to press the
inquiry further. One thing, however.
was reasonably certain,-the man she
called Frank could not be her father
l longed to ask if he was a brother.
but the restraint of her whole manner
repealed the suggestion.
did 1 understand that you have
nursed in the Federal hospitals at
Baltimore?" questioned, more to con-
tinue the conversation than from any
deep interest.
Merely as volunteer, and when
the regular nurses were especially
busy. Major Brennan was stationed
there for some time when I first
visited him, and felt it my duty as
loyal woman to aid the poor fell
lows"
l remained silent, striving vainly
to frame some innocent question
which should solve for me the prob
lem of who and what she was. Sud
denly she spoke softly:
Captain Wayne. feel / owe you
an apology for my unwarranted and
unladylike conduct last night. l am
very sure now that YOU are a gen