The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-12-28

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Ten minutes later he came suddenly
upon cabin at the edge of the cotton
wood. He halted his pony. dis
mounted. and walked toward the
cabin.
III there's nobody here" he said
aloud, as he reached a corner OF the
cabin, I'm In for it. Before I could
get TO the Two Diamond, He
drew a breath of relief. Sitting in a
rocker on the little porch was a Young
woman. She was grooming softly
while her deft fingers piled needle
in some striped material.
He came around and stood AZ tho
edge OF the porch. He saw her look.
ing at him curiously.
I've been bit by a RATHER" he in.
formed her, lifting his foot to the
porch floor and pointing out the
wound. ! thought l might find some
one here who would
The striped material, pair OF small
| shears, needle. and spool of thread
were unceremcn:ously dumped to the
porch moor rs the young women rose.
her face whitening little.
Watt" she said sharply Glow
long ago? Here; take this chair!"
Its ain's been long" returned Fer.
guson. He hobbled to the one step
crossed the porch and sank into the
CHAIR. The young woman disappeared
within. Presently She reappeared with
a tin wash basin half filled with
water. yard or so 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 re9ntered the
house, returning with 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,
He nodded and smiled gratefully.
You know your business" he said
admiriugly.
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 surgeons knife.
With Its keen edge she made an X
incision over the wound. cutting deep
into the flesh. With thumb and fore.
nnger she pressed it to induce bleed
ing. Then she sponged 1t again, re-
marking: 1T was good thing that
you thought Of that tourniquet''
He sat silent while she bathed the
wound. Then she produced a slender
stick OF something and burned the
wound out to the bottom. Tears of
pain formed in Ferguson's eyes. She
looked up at him with smile.
Hurts, does it?" she asked.
It amt any fun" he returned. She
was silent again while she bandaged
the foot. Then she rose and smiled
at him.
We will wait ten minutes" she
said. III you are feeling any i'll eff
fects then, shall have to administer
an antidote.''
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 little, vigorous figure
in white apron and blue checkered
dress OF some modest material. She
wore no collar; her sleeves we're
showed up above her elbows, reveal
ing pair of Drowned hands and
white arms. Her eyes were brown as
her hair-the latter in tumble Of
graceful disorder. Through half-closed
eyes ne was appraising her in riot
OF admiration that threatened to COM
ple:cly 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. slight red
showed suddenly in each of her
checks. He smiled.
II reckon that RATHER is fooled"
he said But IL | hadn't met up with
you it might not have turned out like
this He sat erect 'I'Il be gettin'
along over to the Two Diamond.
reckon 1t 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
"Lookin for job" he returned.
oh" The exclamation struck him
as rather expressionless. He looked
5Adlpiy al Rucl.
You know the Two Diamond
folks7'
cot 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 mott" she suddenly
flashed back at him
Well now" he returned slowly.
puzzled, but knowing that he was
somehow getting things wrong. IL
reckon there's lot that I don't
know"
If 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 |
to say something more, but 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 heavy
guns. There was about him a certain