Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1913-06-13
IS IL.Bo/ncs


lying back against the opposite win
dow, her head bent sideways.
my Cod" he thought. did those
devils get herr"
She lifted her slight figure up on
n arm. all else blotted out, all 9th.
er memory vanished through this in.
slant dread. His cheek stung where
flying splinters had struck him, but
that was nothing. She was warm, her
flesh was warm; then his searching
fingers felt the moist blood trickling
down from the edge Of her hair He
let out his breath slowly, the sudden
relief almost choking him. 1t was bad
enough surely, but not what he had
first feared, not death. She had been
struck hard-a flying splinter Of wood,
perhaps, or a DETECTED bullet-her
hair matted with blood, yet it was no
more than a flesh wound, although
leaving her unconscious. II he hest.
tated it was but for an instant. The
flash; he must change his plans, but
dare waste no time. If they were to
escape it must be accomplished now,
Swallowed by darkness, while savage
watchers were safely beyond sound.
His lean jaws set with fierce deter
mination. and he grimly hitched his
belt forward, one sinewy hand finger
Ing the revolver. He would have to
trust to that weapon entirely for de-
tense: he could not carry both the
rifle and the girl.
Moving slowly, cautiously. fearful
lest some, creaking of the old stage
might betray his motions to those
keen ears below, he backed through
the open door. Once feeling the
ground firm beneath his feet. and ma
king sure that both canteen' and hav-
ersack were secure, he reached back
into the darkness. grasping the form
of h unconscious girl. He stood
erect with her held securely in his
arms, strands of hair blowing against
his cheek, listening %intently, striving
with keen eye to penetrate the black
curtain. The wind was fortunate,
blowing steadily across the nat from
the river, and they were surely invis-
ible against the background Of the
overhanging bluff. He did not even
feel 1t necessary to crouch low to
avoid discovery. He knew that peril
would confront them later, when they
ventured out into the open.
How light she seemed. as though
he clasped a child. Bearing
her was going to be easier
than he had supposed; the excitement
yielded him new of
oru<h xyat No uyor< % -
slowly. feeling along. inch by inch.
planting his feet with exceeding care.
The earth was hard-packed and would
leave little trail; there were no leaves.
no dead grass to rustic. Beyond the
protection afforded by the stage he
felt the full sweep Of the wind and
permitted her head to rest lower on
one arm SO that he could look about
more clearly. She had not even
moaned, although he had felt her
breath upon his face. Once he STUN.
bled slightly over some fallen earth,
and farther along a foot slipped on a
treacherous stone, but the slight noise
unnoticed In the night. 1t was
farther to the gully than he had sup
posed; his heart was in his throat
fearing he had missed 1t, half-believing
the depression failed to extend to the
base Of the blur. Then his foot, ex-
ploring blindly. touched the edge Of
the bank. Carefully he laid his bur-
den down. placing his battered cam
patgn hat beneath her head. He bent
over her again. assuring himself that
she breathed regularly, M then crept
down alone into the shallow ravine.
His nerve were like steel now, his
hand steady. his heart beating with
out al accelerated throb. He knew
the work, and rejoiced in 1t. This was
why he was a soldier. Silently, swift
ly, he unbuckled his belt. refastening
1t across the straps 30 as t hold can
teen and haversack %noiseless, and
then, revolver In hand, began creep
ing down under cover Of the low
banks. He must explore the path first
before attempting to bear her along
in his arms; must be sure the passage
was u~nguarded. After 1t swerved to
the right there would be little danger.
but while it a straight, some eau.
tious savage might have chosen it to