Arizona republican., 1911-08-02
A ROMANCE OF THE OLD TIME
COW COUNTRY.
BY CHARLES ALDEN SETTER
Copyright, 1910, the Pearson Publish
ing Company.

cabin, I'm in for it. Before l 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 a needle
in some striped material.
He came around and stood at the
edge of the porch. He saw her look.
ing ar him curiously.
1--WE been bit by a RATHER" he in.
formed her, lifting his foot 10 the
porch floor and pointing out the
wound. II thought | might find some
one here who would"
The striped material, a pair OF small
shears, a needle, and spool of thread
were unceremCn!ously dumped to the
porch floor as the young woman rose
her face whitening a little.
Watt" she said sharply. "HoW
long ago? Here; take this chair"
IT'S amt 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
tin wash basin half filed 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 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
He 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 it in the basin, bathing the
wound with the sponge. Then with
deft fingers she opened the medicine
case and drew out a surgeons knife
With it's keen edge she made an y
incision over the wound, cutting deeI
into the flesh. With thumb and fore
finger she pressed 1t to induce bleed
ing. Then she sponged 1t again, re
marking: 1T was a good thing tha
you thought Of that tourniquet."
He sat silent while she bathed tn,
wound. Then she produced a slender
stick of something and burned th'
wound out TO the bottom. Tears o.
pain formed in Ferguson's eyes. sShl
looked up at him with smile.
Hurts, does it?" she asked.
at amt any fun" he returned. Sh,
was silent again while she bandageC
the foot. Then she rose and smiled
at him.
I'VE will wait ten minutes" she
said. "If you are feeling any I'll eff
fects then, shall have to administer
an antidote."
She went again into the cabin anC
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 blue checkereC
dress of some modest material. Shit
wore no collar; her sleeves were
showed up above her elbows. reveal
ing a pair of Drowned hands anC
white arms. Her eyes were brown a!
her hair-the latter in a tumble o.
graceful disorder. Through half-closeC
eyes he was appraising her in a rio
of admiration that threatened to com
pletely bias his judgment. And ye
women had interested him very little
The ten minutes dragged past. She
looked up from her sewing to see hin
gazing steadily at her. A slight RED
showed suddenly in each OF hel
cheeks. He smiled. ,
81 reckon that rattler is fooled.
he said. But If hadn't met up witt
you it might not have turned out like
this" He sat erect "Pll 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 laI
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 hin
as rather expressionless. He looked
sharply at her.
You 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 mott" she suddenly
flashed back at him.
well now" he returned slowly
puzzled, but knowing that he wa:
somehow getting things wrong. 81
reckon there's a lot that l dom
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 thu
saddle, gazing inquiringly az the two
He was about Ferguson's age, and
like the latter, he wore two heavy
guns. There was about him a certain
atmosphere of deliberate certainty anC
quiet GOODNESS that gave an impress
sion Of readiness for whatever nigh
occur. He sat silent In the saddle
until the young woman stepped for
ward. Q
This man was bitten by a RATHER,