The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1912-06-20

|
mercy; you are stronger than i, j
have no choice but to do what you
bid me. And in addition to the nat
ural weakness of my sex | am the
more helpless from this foot. What
do you intend to do with me? How
do you mean to treat me?"
1t was a bold, splendid question,
and it evoked the answer it merited.
''As God is my Judge" said the man
quietly, lust as you ought to be
| treated, as / would want another to
treat my mother. or my sister. or my
wife"--she noticed how curiously his
! lips suddenly frightened at that word
''if had one. l never harmed a wom-
| an in my life" he continued more
earnestly, "only one, that is" he cor
rected himself, and once again she
marked that peculiar contraction Of
the lips. And l could not help that"
| he added.
Il trust you" said the girl at last.
after gazing at him long and hard as
| If to search out the secrets of his very
soul. You have saved my life and
things dearer will be safe with you.
/ have to trust you"
Il hope" came the quick comment,
that it is not only for that. l don't
| want to be trusted upon compulsion."
You must have fought terribly for
| my life in the flood" was the answer.
II can remember what it was now,
and you carried me over the rocks
and the mountains without faltering.
Only man could do what you have
done. / trust you anyway"
Thank you" said the man briefly
as he bent over the injured foot again.
The boot laced up the front, the
short skirt left all plainly visible.
With deft fingers he undid the sodden
| knot and unlaced it, then stood hest
tatingly for a moment.
Il don't like to cut your only pair
OF Shoes" he said as he made a
slight motion TO draw it off, and then
observing the spasm of pain, stopped.
| Needs must" he continued. taking
out his knife and Sitting the
! leather.
He did It very carefully so as not
to ruin the boot beyond repair, and
finally succeeded in getting it off
! without giving her too much pain.
| And she was not so tired or so miser-
able as to be unaware of his gentle
ness. His manner, matter of fact
business like, if he had been a doctor
one would have called it professional,
distinctly pleased her in this trying
and unusual position. Her stocking
was stained with blood. The man rose
to his feet, took from a rude home
made chair a light Mexican blanket
and laid it considerably across the
girl
Now II you can manage to get off
your stocking yourself, will see what
can be DONE" he said, turning away.
1t was the work Of a few seconds
for her to comply with his request.
Hanging the wet stocking carefully
over chair back, he drew back the
blanket little and carefully inspect
ed the poor little foot. He saw at
once that it was not an ordinary
sprained ankle, but it seemed to him
that her foot had been caught be-
tween two tossing logs, and had been
badly bruised. 1t was very painful
but would not take so long to heal as
a sprain. The little foot, normally sc
white, was now black and blue and
the skin had been roughly torn and
broken. lie brought basin Of cold
water and towel and washed off the
!. blood, the girl fighting down the pair
and successfully sitting any cutlery.
Now" be said, you must put or
this gown and get into bed. BY the
time you are ready for it will have
some broth for you and then we will
bandage that foot. l shall not come
: In here for some time, you will be
quite alone and safe"
: He turned and left the room, shut
ting the door after him as he went
out. For n second time that day EnC
Maitland undressed herself and thi:
time nervously and in great haste
She was almost too excited and ap
, prehensive to recall the painful cir
cumstances attendant upon her frs
t dsrobing She said she trusted the
man absolutely, yet she would no
have been human if she had no
looked most anxiously toward tha
closed door He made plenty of noise
| in the other room, busting about a.
If to reassure her.
, She could not rest the weight O
her body on her left foot, and getting
; rid of her wet clothes was a some
Is what slow process in spite of he,
, hurry, made more so by her extreme
nervousness. The gown he gave hel
} was far too big for her, but soft anC
warm and exquisitely clean. 1t drap
, ed her slight figure completely. Leay
l.. ing her sodden garments where the,
, had fallen, for she was not equal t.
1 anything else, she wrapped herself il
the folds of the big gown and man
> aged to get into bed. For all its rude
, appearance it was very comfortabl,
sleeping place; there we're springs anC
/. a good mattress. The unbleacheC
sheets were clean, although they hat
? been rough dried; there was a dell
cious sense OF comfort and rest II
| her position She had scarcely com