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

4
barrassing situation.
He surveyed her for few moments
wondering how best to begin. Then
realizing the necessity for immediate
action, he bent over her and woke her
up. Again she stared at him In De-
wilderment until he spoke.
"This is my house. he said, we
are home"
"Home!" sobbed the girl.
Under shelter. then" said the man.
"You are very tired and very sleepy, /
but there is something to be done; /
you must take of those wet clothes 4
at once. you must have something to
eat, and must have look at that
foot, and then you can have your
sleep out"
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 II
to be carried out? The man easily
OWNED her thoughts.
There is another room In this
house, a store room cook in there,
he said 81 am going in there now to
you must undress yourself and go TO
bed"
He went to a rude set of box-like
shelves draped with a curtain, appar-
! eatly his own handiwork, against the
wall. and brought from it long and
+ somewhat shapeless wooden gown.
You can wear this to sleep !n," he
continued. First Of all, though, am
/ going to have look at that foot.
/ He bent down to where her wound
I 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 a woman,
absolutely alone, entirely at your
mercy; you are stronger than /,
have no choice but to do what you
bid me. And in addition to the nat
ural weakness of my sex l 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 1t merited.
"As God is my judge" said the man
quietly. Just as you ought to be
treated, as l 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 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 / could not help that"
he added.
81 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"
81 hope" came the quick comment,
: that 1t is not only for that. l 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
E and the mountains without faltering.
Only a man could do what you have
Z done / trust you anyway"
Thank you," said the man briefly
0 as he bent over the injured foot again
; The boot laced up the front, the
. short skirt left all plainly visible
u With def fingers he undid the sodder
Il knot and unlaced it, then stood hest
tatingly for a moment.
r Il don't like to cut your only pail
s Of shoes" he said as he made 6
n slight motion to draw it off, and ther
observing the spasm of pain, stopped
out his knife and Sitting the
leather.
He did II very carefully so as no
to ruin the boot beyond repair, AND
2 finally succeeded in getting 1t of
z without giving her too much pain
: And she was not so tired or SO miser
II able as to be unaware Of his gentle
g ness. His manner, matter Of fact
!. business like, # he had been a docto
one would have called 1t professional
distinctly pleased her in this trying
and unusual position. Her stocking
was stained with blood. The man ros
to his feet, took from a rude home
made chair a 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.
1t was the work OF few second
for her to comply with his reques
. Hanging the wet stocking CAREFUL
over chair back, he drew back tn
ot blanket little and carefully inspec
or ed the poor little foot. He saw 6
Ia once that 1t was not an ordinar
is sprained ankle, but it seemed to hill
ST that her foot had been caught b,
es tween two tossing logs, and had bee
I, badly bruised. 1t was very painful
ne but would not take so long to heal a
lis a sprain. The little foot, normally 6
M white, was now black and blue an
ed the skin had been roughly torn an
IN broken. he brought basin of col
nj water and towel aud washed of tt
he blood, the girl fighting down the pal
he and successfully sitting any outcry.
nj Now" he said, you must put @
cd this gown and get into bed. By I'll
no time you are ready for It / will haJ
or some broth for you and then we wi
.