Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1912-07-11

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time she awoke
The clouds had emptfed themselves
during the night, and the wind had
at last died away toward morning. and
now there was great calm abroad in
the land. The sunlight was dazzling.
Outside, where the untempered rays
beat full upon the crests Of the noun
tains, it was doubtless warm, but with
in the cabin it was chilly. The fire
had long since burned completely
away, and he had not entered the room
to replenish it. Yet Enid Maitland had
lain snug and warm under her blan-
kets. She presently tested her wound
ed foot by moving it 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 GOODNESS 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
like stiffness. Even in the camp al
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 to
her. 1t was almost painful. She was
keen to dress and go out of the house.
She stood upon the rude luncheon
floor on one foot, scarcely able vet to
bear even the lightest pressure upon
the other. There were her clothes on
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. she
must needs put them on. since they
were all she had She noticed that
there were no locks on the doors, and
she realized that the only protection
she had was the sense of decency and
the honor OF the man. That she had
been allowed her sleep unmoIested
made her the more confident on that
account.
She dressed hastily, although it was
the work Of some difficulty in view of
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 the
big clumsy bandages upon it, she could
not draw her stocking over it, and even
if she succeeded in that, She could in
no way make shift to put on her boot
The situation was awkward, the pre-
dicament annoying. She was wearing
boomers and short skirt for her
mountain climbing, and she did not
know quite what to do. She thought of
tearing up one of the rough, unbleach-
ed sheets and wrapping it around her
leg, but she hesitated as to that. It
WOul0
have opened the door and stepped out
into the open air. Now she felt her
self virtually a prisoner.
She had been thankful that no one
had disturbed her. but now she wished
for the man. In her heIplessness she
thought Of his resourcefulness with
eagerness. The man, however, did not
q
to do but to wait for him. Taking one
of the blankets from the bed, she sat
down and drew it across her knees and
took stock of the room.
The cabin was built of logs, the
room was large, perhaps u by 20 feet,
with one side completely taken up by
the stone fireplace: there were two
windows, one on either side Of the
outer door, which opened toward the
southwest. The walls were unplaster-
ed save in the chinks between the
rough hewn logs of which it was made.
Over the fireplace and around on one
side ran rude shelf covered with
books. She had no opportunity to ex-
anime them, although later she would
become familiar with every. one of
them.
Into the walls on the other side
were driven wooden pegs; from some
of them hung pair of snow shoes, a
heavy Winchester rife, fishing tackle
and other necessary wilderness para
phernalia. On the puncheon floor wolf
and bear skins were spread. In one
corner against the wall again we're
piled several splendid pairs Of horns
from the mountain sheep.
The furniture consisted of the single
bed or berth in which she had silent.
built against the wall in one of the
corners, a rude table on which were
writing materials and some books.
A row of curtained shelves, evidently
made of small boxes and surmounted
by mirror, occupied another space.
There were two or three chairs, the
handiwOrk Of the owner, comfortable
enough in spite Of their rude construc-
ton. On some other pegs hung
slicker and a sOu'wester, a fur over
coat, a fur cap and other rough clothes;
a pair of heavy boots stood BY the
fireplace. On another shelf there were
a number of scientific instruments. the
nature of which she could not deter
mine, although she could see that thew
we're all in a beautiful state Of pres
ervatiOn.
There was plenty of rude comfort in
the room, which was excessively man
nish. In fact, there was nothing any
where which in any way spoke of the
existence Of woman-except a picture
in a small, rough, wooden frame which
stood on the table before which she
sat down. The picture was of a hand
some naturally Enid Maitland
saw thar before anything else. She
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and will not injure the hands Of oper-
atives. Some time ago an American
is reported to have discovered a chem
zeal compound which would preserve
silk and this is said to be something