Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1913-06-26
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By MARTHA BElLINGER
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MARTHA BEL,LINGER
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her. and her heart became bravs
again. though she still felt as If sh,
could never move from her hard, DAM
resting place among the rocks.
You stay there, please, Mademoi
selle," adjured Mr.. Hand. When We
get the boat ready I'll come for you.
Then, standing by her in his submAs
sive way, he added a thought Of hi:
own: IT'S very hard, Mademoiselle, tc
see you cryi"
/ I'm not crying" shrieked Agatha
though her voice was muf1ed in hel
arms.
Very well, Mademoiselle," acQui
esced the polite Hand. and departed.
Two men could not have been found
who were better fitted for managing q
relief expedition than Hand and Doc
tor Thayer. Agatha found herself
after an unknown period Of time, sit.
ting safe under the canvas awning OF
the launch. protected by a generous
cloak, comforted with food and stimu.
liant, and relieved Of the pressing anxi.
ETY. that had filed the last hours In the
cove.
She had, In the end, been quite un-
able to help; but the immediate need
for her help was past. Doctor Thayer,
coming with his satchel of medicines,
had at first given his whole attention
to James, examining him quickly and
skilfully az he lay where Agatha had
left him. Later he came to Agatha
with a few questions, which she al
swered clearly; but James, left alone,
Immediately showed such a tendency
to wander around, following the hallu-
ctnations Of his brain, that the doctor
decided that he must have a sedative
before he could be taken away. The
needle, that friend of mar In pain, was
brought into use; and presently they
were able to leave the cove. Doctor
Thayer and Mr.. Hand carried James
to the rowboat, and the engineer, who
had stayed In the launch, helped them
lift him into the larger boat. mo
more walking at present for this
mani" said the doctor.
They we're putting briskly over the
water, with the tiny rowboat from the
Jeanne D'Arc and the boat belonging
to the launch cutting a long broken
furrow behind them. Mr.. Hand was
minding the engine, while the engineer
and owner of the launch, Little Simon
-so-called probably because he was
btg-stood forward, handling the
wheel. Jim was lying on some blan-
kets and oilskins on the floor Of the
boat, the doctor sitting beside him on
a crackerbox. Agatha, feeling useless
and powerless to help. sat on the mar
row, uncomfortable seat at the side,
watching the movements of the doc
tor. She was unable to tell whether
doubt or hope prevailed In his rugged
countenance.
At last she ventured her question;
but before replying Doctor Thayer
looked up at her keenly, as If to
judge how much of the truth she
would be able to bear.
THE hemorrhage was caused by the
strain" he said at last, slowly. 1T
Is bad enough, with this fever. II his
constitution is sound, he may pull
through"
Not very encouraging, but Agatha
extracted the best from 1t, "Oh, I'm
thankful" she exclaimed. Doctor
Thayer looked at her, a deep interest
showing in his grim old face. While
she looked at James, he studied her,
as If some unusual characteristic
claimed his attention, but he made no
comment.
Doctor Thayer was short In stature,
massively built, with the head and
trunk Of some ancient Vulcan. His
heavy, large features had a rugged no
bility, like that of the mountains. His
face was smooth-shaven, ruddy-brown,
and deeply marked with lines of care;
but most salient Of all his features
was the massively nodded chin and
jaw. His lips, too, were thick and
full, without giving the least impress
sion of grossness; and when he was
thinking, he had a habit of thrusting
his under jaw slightly forward, which
made him look much fiercer than he
ever felt. Thin white hair covered his
temples and grew in a struggling
fringe around the back Of his head,
upon which he wore a broad-brimmed
soft black hat.
Doctor Thayer would have been no
ticeable, a man of distinction, any
where; and yet here he was, with his
worn satchel and his o~ld-fashioned
clothes, travelling year after year over
the countryside to the relief of far
mers and fishermen. He knew his
science. too. 1t never occurred to him
to doubt whether his sphere was
large enough for him.
Il haven't found out yet where we
are, or to what place we are going.