Semi-weekly herald., 1911-08-14

inch too high-scraped the lung
Lord. II l can only get It out-eot to
do 1t now-can't wait-here. Bristoe,
that leather case on my saddle-run.
damn you-we1f save him yet. xtrl-
there. drop his head in your lap-yes.
/, cry II you want to-only hold still
open the case. will you-down here.
where can reach it-now waterfall
our canteens-Hope, tear me of q.
strip Of your under-skirt-what am I
going to dof-extract the ball-Eot to
do it-biood poison In this SUM-"
She ripped her skirt. handing It to
him without word: then dropped her
white face In her hands, bending.
with closed eyes. over the winter face
resting on her lap her lips trembling
with the one prayer. "oh, Godl oh,
Godl" How long he was at 1t, or
what he did. she scarcely knew-shs
heard the splash Of water; caught tho
Hash OF the sun on the probe; felt the
half conscious shudder OF the wound
ed man. whose head was In her Ian.
the deft. quick movements of Fair.
balm. and then
That's five got it-missed tho
lung by a hair-damn me I'm proud of
that }ob-you're a good girl"
She looked at him, scarce able to
see. her eyes blinded with tears.
"Will--will he liver Oh, tell me!-
"Livel Why shouldn't he?-nothing
but a hole to close up-natureM do
that, with bit OF nursing--here, now
don't you keel over-give me the rest
of that skirt"
He bandaged the wound, then
glanced about suddenly.
"How's the other fellow2"
Dead" returned Bristoe, shot
through the heart"
Thought so-have seen Keith shoot
before-I wonder how the cuss ever
managed to get him."
AS he arose to his feet, his red face
glistening with perspiration. and be-
gan strapping his leather case, the
others rode up, and Bristoe, explaining
the situation, set the men to making
preparations for pushing on to the
water-hole. Blankets were swung be-
tween ponies. and the bodies of tho
dead and wounded deposited therein,
firm hands on the brides. Hope rode
close beside Keith. struggling to keep
back the tears, as she watched him
lying motionless. unconscious, scarce
ly breathing. So. under the early glow
OF the desert stars. they came to tho
water-hole. and halted.
The wounded man opened his eyes
and looked about him unable to com.
prehend. At first all was dark, silent
then he saw the stars overhead, and q
breath of cir famed the nearby fire.
the ruddy glow OF fame flashing
across his face. He heard voices
family. and thus, little by little. CON
sciousness inserted itself and memory
struggled back into his bewildered
brain. The desert-the lonely leagues
of sand-his fingers gripped as If they
felt the stock of gun-yet that was
all over-he was not there-but he
was somewhere-and alive, alive. II
hurt him to move. to breathe even
and after one effort to turn over, he
lay perfectly still. staring up into the
black arch Of sky. endeavoring tc
think. to understand-where was he
How had he come there? Was Haw
ley alive also? A face bent over him
the features family visible In the flash
of freight. His dull eyes lit up in
sudden recollection.
doc! is that your"
Sure, old man." the pudgy fingers
feeling his pulse. the gray eyes twink
ling. Marrow squeak you had-go
Ing to pull through all right. though
no sign of fever"
where am IT.
AT the water-hole: sling you in Z
blanket. and get you into Larned to
morrow"
There was moments silence,
Keith finding It hard to speak.
'Hawley-f" he whispered at last.
"Oh, don't worry; you got him an
right. Say" his voice SOLDERING. may.
be It was Just as well you took that
job. II it had been me I would have
been In bad"
The wounded mans eyes questioned.
IT'S q bad mix-up. Keith. Waite
never told us all OF 1t. reckon he
didn't want her to know. and she
uSNcT IL Cdu hOip Fo beDAA
looking over some papsrs in his pock.
et-he'd likely been after them this
trip-and his name amt Hawley. He's
Bartlett Gale, Christie's father"
Keith could not seem to grasp the
thought. his eyes half-closed.
"Her-her father7" he questioned.
weakly. DO you suppose he knewH''
No: not at first. anyhow; not ae
Sheridan. He was too interested in
his scheme to even suspicion he had
actually stumbled onto the real girl.
think he Just found out"
A coyote howled somewhere In the
darkness, q melancholy chorus joining
In the with long drawn cadence. A
shadow swept into the radius of dane
ing freight.
rs he conscious. Doctorr
Fairbain drew back silently, and sho
dropped on her knees at Keith's side,
bending low to look into his face.
"Hope-Hope."
Yes, dear, and you are going to
live now-live for mo-"
He found her hand. and held II.
clasped within his own. his eyes wide
open.
"I have never told you." he said.