The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-03-29
tCopyright, 1911. BY W. q. Chapmay

Copyright, ioii. by W. g. Chapman
the girl stared at him, his program,
if a radical one under the circum-
stances, was nevertheless a rational
one, indeed the only one. How was it
to be carried out? The man easily
OWNED her thoughts.
There is another room in this
house. store room. l cook in there"
he said. 81 am going in there now to
get you something to eat; meanwhile
you must undress yourself and go to
bed"
He went to a rude set Of box-like
shelves draped with a curtain, appar-
emily his own handiwork, against the
wall, and brought from 1t long and
somewhat shapeless wooden gown.
you can wear this to sleep in," he
going to have look at that foot"
He bent down to where her wound
ed foot lay extended on the bed.
Wait" said the girl, lifting herself
on her arm, and as she did so he lift
ed his head and answered her direct
gaze with his own. Il am woman,
absolutely alone, entirely at your
mercy; you are stronger than I, I
have no choice but to do what you
bid me. And In addition to the nat
ural weakness of my sex I am the
more helpless from this foot. What
do you intend to do with me? How
do you mean to treat me?"
It was a bold, a splendid question,
and it evoked the answer it merited.
GAS God is my judge" said the man
| quietly, "just as you ought to be
treated, as I 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. 1 never harmed wom-
an in my life,' he continued more
earnestly, "only one, that u.s." he cor
rected himself, and once again she
marked that peculiar contraction Of
the lips. "And I could not help thai" "
he added.
Il trust YOU" said the girl at last,
after gazing at him long and hard as
IL to search out the secrets Of his very
soul. "You have saved my life and
things dearer will be safe with you.
l have to trust you"
4 81 hope" came the quick comment,
''that 1t Is not only for that. don't
want to be trusted upon compulsion.'
"You must have fought terribly for
my life in the food" was the answer.
81 can remember what it was now,
and you carried me over the rocks
and tho mountains without faltering
Only man could do what you have
done. I 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
1 II don't like to cut your only pair
Of Shoes" he said as he made q
slight motion to draw 1t off, and then
observing the spasm of pain, stopped
Needs must" he continued, taking
out his knife and Sitting the
leather.
He did 1t very carefully so as not
to ruin the boot beyond repair, and
finally succeeded In getting it of
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 q light Mexican blanke
and laid it considerably across tn.
girl.
"Now II you can manage to get OF
your stocking yourself, will see wha
can be DONE" he said, turning away.
It was the work Of a few seconds
for her to comply with his request
Hanging the wet stocking CAREFUL.
over a chair back, he drew back thu
blanket little and carefully inspect
ed the poor little foot. He saw a
once that it was not an ordinar,
sprained ankle, but it seemed to hin
that her foot had been caught be
tween two tossing logs, and had beer
badly bruised. 1t was very painful
but would not take so long to heal a
sprain. The little foot, normally 8
white, was now black and blue an
the skin had been roughly torn an
broken. He brought a basin of col
water and towel and washed off tn
blood. the girl fighting down the pal
and successfully sitting any outcry.
Now" he said, "you must put o.
this gown and get into bed. By tn
time you are ready for 1t 1 will hav
some broth for you and then we Wi
bandage that foot I shall not com
In here for some time, you will
quite alone and safe"
He turned and left the room, shu
ting the door after him as he wen
out. For a second time that day Eni
Maitland undressed herself and thi
time nervously and in great haste
She was almost too excited and al
prehensive to recall the painful Gil
: cumstances attendant upon her frs
disrobing She said she trusted tn
man absolutely, yet she would no
have been human II she had no
looked most anxiously toward tina
closed door. He made plenty of nois
in the other room, bustling about a
. IL to reassure her.
She could not rest the weight @
hor ho1v IN hor loft font and petfin