Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-02-02
CHAPTER TX.

the woman to sitting position. The
man drew back to give her freedom
OF action, as she lifted herself on her
hands. II was moments before COM
plete consciousness of her situation
came to her. The surprise was yet
too great she saw things dimly
through a whirl Of driving rain, OF
rushing mighty wind, Of a seething
sea Of water, but presently It was all
plain to her again. She had caught /
no fair view Of the man who had shot .
the bear as he splashed through the h
creek and tramped ACROSS the rocks /
and trees down the canon, at least
[ she had not seen him full face, but ,
she recognized him Immediately. The 1
thought tinged with color for mo- (
ment her pallid cheek.
'I fell into the torrent" she said
: feebly. putting her hand 10 her head
< and striving by speech to put aside 7
I that awful remembrance.
2 you didn't fall in" was The an
swer. ct was a cloudburst, you were
caught in It,"
Il didn't know"
"Of course not. how should you?"
"And how came I here?"
81 was lucky enough to pull you
out"
Did you jump into the food for
me?"
The man nodded.
That's twice you have saved my
I life this day" said the girl, forcing
herself. womanlike, TO the topic that
she hated.
TITS nothing" deprecated the 9th
err"
TT may be nothing TO you, but It is
a great deal to me-" was the answer.
"And now what Is TO be done?"
I'VE must get out Of her at once"
said the man. You need shelter.
y food, FIRE. Can you Wake"
u Il don't know"
Let me help you" He rose &c
his feet, reached down 20 her. took
her hands in the strong grasp Of his
own and raised her lightly to her feet
in an effortless way which showed his
great strength. She did not more
than put the weight of her body
slightly on her left foot when a spasm
Of pain shot through her, she swerved
and would have fallen had he not
caught her. He sat her gently on the
rock.
MY foot" she said piteousy. Il
don't know what's the matter with it."
Her high boots were tightly laced,
Of course, but he could see that her
left foot had been badly mauled or
srrained: already the slender ankle
was swelling visibly. He examined 1t
swiftly a moment. II might be a
sprain. II might be the result Of some
violent thrust against the rocks, some
whirling tree trunks might have
caught and crushed her foot, but
there was no good in specializing as
TO causes, the present patent fact was
I that she could not walk; all the rest
was at that moment unimportant.
This unfortunate accident made him
the more anxious to get her to a
place of shelter without delay. II
would be necessary to take off her
boot and give the wounded member
proper treatment For the present
the tight shoe acted as a bandage
which was well.
When the man had withdrawn him
self from the world, he had inwardly
INNOiNfu IuhI no uulldu Dtlub SuOulI
ever invade his domain or share his
solitude. and during his long sojourr
in the wilderness his determination
had not weakened. Now his coming
desire was to get this woman whom
fortune-good or ill,-had thrown
upon his hands to his house without
delay. There was nothing he coulC
do for her out there in the rain
Every drop OF whiskey was gone, the!
were just two half-drowned, solder
bits OF humanity cast up on tina
rocky shore, and one was helpless
woman.
do you know where your can't
is?" he asked at last.
He did not wish to take her to he
own camp. he had a strange instinc
Of possession in her. In some way h
felt he had obtained a right to dea
with her as he would. he had save'
her life twice. once by chance, tn,
other as the result OF deliberate AM
heroic endeAvor. and yet his homo
and his manhood obliged him to one
10 take her to her own people IL h
gould. Hence the question. the an
swer to which he waited so eagerly.
TITS down the canon. am one o
Mr. Robert Maitland's party"
The man nodded. he didn't know
Robert Maitland from Adam, and h
cared nothing about him.
How far DOWN" he asked.
Il don't know. how far is IL fror
here to where you-where-where-
we
about q mile" he replied. quickl
fully understanding her reason 70
faltering.
Then / think / must have come q
least i've miles from the camp thi
morning"
1T will be four miles away, then
said the man.
The girl nodded.
Il couldn't carry you that far"
murmured half to himself; 81 questio
a. there is any camp left there an
way. whG-e was It, down by the W
fer's edgeg'
Yes"