Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1912-09-05
CHAPTER XII.
The Loo Hut IN the Mountains.

The Log Hut In the Mountains.
What awakened the woman she did
not know; in all probability it was
the bright sunlight streaming through
the narrow window before her. The
cabin was SO placed that the sun did
not strike fairly into the room until
1t was some hours high, consequently
she had her long sleep out entirely un-
disturbed. The man had made no eff
fort whatever to awaken her. What
ever tasks he had performed since day
break had been SO silently accomplish
ed that she had not been aware of
them.
So soon as he could do so, he had left
the cabin and was now busily engaged
in his daily duties outside the cabin
and beyond earshot. He knew that
sleep was the very best medicine for
her, and it was best that she should
not be disturbed until in her own good
time she awoke.
The clouds had emptied themselves
during the night, and the wind had
at last died away toward morning, and
now there was a great calm abroad in
the land. The sunlight was dazzling.
Outside, where the untempered rays
beat full upon the crests Of the noun
tains, 1t was doubtless warm, but with.
in the cabin 1t was chilly. The fire
had long since burned completely
away, and he had not entered the room
to replenisk it. Yet Enid Maitland had
lain snug and warm under her blan
kets. She presently tested her wound
ed foot, by moving 1t gently. and dis
covered ~agreeably that it was much
less painful than she had anticipated
The treatment the night before had
been very successful.
She did not get up Immediately, but
the coldness of the room struck her so
soon as she got out of bed. Upon her
first awakening she was hardly con.
scious of her situation; her sleep had
been too long and too heavy, and her
awakening too gradual for any sud
den appreciation of the new condition.
1t was not until she had stared around
the walls Of the rude cabin for some
time, that she realized where she was
and what had happened. When she
did SO she arose at once.
Her first impulse was to call. Never
in her life had she felt such death
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most always there had been a whis
per Of breeze through the pine trees
or the chatter Of water over the rocks
But here there were no pine trees and
no sound Of rushing brook came te
her. It was almost painful. She was
keen to dress and go out Of the house
She stood upon the rude puncheor
floor on one foot, scarcely able yet tt
bear eve the lightest pressure upor
the other. There were her clothes OF
chairs and tables before the fireplace
Such had been the heat thrown out BY
that huge blaze that a brief inspec
ton convinced her that everything
was thoroughly dry. Dry or wet, sh,
must needs put them on, since the,
were all she had. She noticed tina
there were no locks on the doors. ant
she realized that the only protection
she had was the sense of decency ant
the honor of the man. That she hac
been allowed her sleep unmoleste,
made her the o confident on tina
account.
She dressed hastily, although it wa
the work Of some difficulty in view O
her wounded foot, and of the stiff con
dition Of her rough, dried apparel
Presently she was completely clothed
save for that disrobed foot. With tn,
big clumsy bandages upon 1t, she coul,
not draw her stocking over 1t, and evel
If she succeeded in that, she could Ii
no way make shift to put on her boo,
The situation was awkward, the pre-
dicament annoying. She was wearin
boomers and a short skirt for he
mountain climbing, and she did no
know quite what to do. She thought O
tearing up one of the rough, unbleact
ed sheets and wrapping it around he
leg, but she hesitated as to that. j
was very trying. Otherwise. she woul
|, have opened the door and stepped GU
into the open air. Now she felt hel
self virtually a prisoner.
She had been thankful that no on
had disturbed her. but now she wiaha
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