The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-09-26


wilderment until he spoke.
"This is my house." he said, I'VE
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
at once, you must have something to
eat, and I must have look at that
foot, and then you can have your
sleep out"
The girl stared at him. his program,
If q radical one under the circunl-
stances. was nevertheless a rational
one, indeed the only one. How was 1t
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
get you something to eat; meanwhile
you must undress yourself and go to
bed"
He went to rude set Of box-like
shelves draped with a curtain, appar-
ehtly his own handiwork, against the
wall, and brought from 1t long and
somewhat shapeless wooden gown.
you can wear this to sleep in," he
continued. First of all, though, I am
going to have a 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. II 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 1t evoked the answer it merited.
las 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 bis
lips suddenly frightened at that word
III had one 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 | 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 he SAFE with you.
l have to trust you,"
81 hope" came tho quick comment.
that it 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
and the mountains without faltering.
Only man could do what you have
done. I trust you anyway"
THANK you" said the man briefly
az 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 moment
IT don't like to cut your only pair
Of shoes" he said as he made
slight motion to draw IT of, and then
observing the spasm Of pain, stopped.
Needs must" he continued, taking
out his knife ard Sitting the
leather
He did 1t very carefully 50 as not
to ruin the boot beyond repair, and
finally succeeded in getting it Oh
without giving her too much pain.
And she was not so tired or 80 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 a light Mexican blanket
and laid 1t considerably across tho
girl.
"Now II you can manage to get on
your stocking yourself. will see what
can be DONE" he said. turning away.
It was the work of few seconds
for her to comply with his request
Hanging the wet stocking carefully
over a chair back. he drew back the
blanket a little and carefully inspect.
ed the poor little foot. He saw at
once that it was not an ordinary
sprained ankle, but 1t seemed to him
that her foot had been caught be-
tween two tossing logs, and had been |
badly bruised. 1t was very painful,
but would not take so long to heal as
a sprain. The little foot. normally so
white, was now black and blue and
the skin had been roughly torn and
broken. He brought basin Of cold
water and towel and washed off the |
blood, the girl fighting down the pain |
and successfully sitting any outcry.