River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-02-20
He smiled At his own words, and

| Il think you'll be still better for
| little milk" she said, and crept away
to get the pail, which had been hid
den on shelf of rock. When she
came back with it, James tried man
fully to sit up; but Agatha slipped
an arm under his neck. in skilful
nurse fashion, and held the bucket
while he drank, almost greedily. AS
he sank back on his bed he whisper
ed: 'You are very good to take care
of me-"
"Oh, no; I'm only too glad! And
now I'm going to build up the IRE
again; your hands are quite cold.
mo, don't co." he pleaded. Please
stay here; I'm not cold any more.
And you must go to sleep again.
ought not to have wakened you; and,
really, / didn't mean to"
YES. you ought. I've had lots OF
sleep; l don't want any more"
TITS dark, but it's better than 1t
was that other night, isn't 1T" said
James.
Much better" answered Agatha.
James visibly gathered strength
from the milk, and presently he took
some more. Agatha watched, and
when he had finished, patted him
approvingly on the hand Good boy!
You've done very WELL" she cried.
81 was so thirsty, l thought the
whole earth had run dry. Will you
think me very ungrateful if I say now
I wish it had been water?"
ooh, no; wish so, too. But Mr..
Hand could only get us a little BIZ
from a spring, for there isn't any
other pail"
1t was some time before Jim made
out to inquire, who's Mr.. Hand?"
'He's the man that helped us-out
of the water-when we became ex-
hausted."
Agatha hesitated to speak OF the
nights experience, uncertain how far
Jim's memory carried him, and not
knowing how a sick man, in his
weakness, might be affected. Still.
now that he seemed almost himself
again, save for the chill, she ventured
to refer to the event, speaking in a
matter-of-fact way, as If such endur-
ance tests were the most natural
events in the world. James speech
was quite coherent and distinct, but
very slow, as If the efforts to speak
came from the depths Of profound
fatigue.
'lIand-that's a good name for him.
I thought it was the hand of God,
which plucked me, like David or
Jonah, or some such person, out of
the seething pillows. But 1 didn't
think of there being a man behind"
Then, after long silence, where
is he?''
Hes gone off to find somebody to
help us get away from here; car
riage or wagon of some sort, and
some food and clothes"
Something caused Jim to calculate,
though quite feebly "You poor
thing." And then he asked, very slow
ly, where is 'here'?"
Il don't know; and Mr.. Hand
doesn't know"
"And we've lost our tags" laughed
Jim family.
Agatha couldn't resist the laugh.
though the weakness in Jim's voice
was almost enough to make her weep
as well.
Eyes, we've lost our tags. more's
the pity. Mr.. Hand thinks we're
either on the coast of Maine, or on
an island somewhere near the coast.
I myself think it must at least be
Nova Scotia, or possibly Newfound-
land But Hand. will find out and be
back soon, and then we'll get away
from here and go to some place where
wei all be comfortable"
Agatha stole away and with much
difficulty succeeded in kindling the
fire again. She tended it until a good
steady heat spread over the rocks, and
then returned to James. She curled
up, half sitting, half lying, against
the rocks
Clouds had risen during the recent
hours, and it was much darker than
the night before had been The ocean,
washing it's million pebbles up on the
little beach, moaned and complained
necessarily. In the long interval be-
tween their talk, Agatha's head would
fall, her eyes would close, and she
would almost sleep; but an under
current of anxiety concerning her
companion kept her always at the
edge of consciousness. James him
self appeared to have no desire to
sleep. He was trying to piece to-
gether, in his mind, his conscious and
unconscious memories. At last he
said:
IT guess I haven't been much good
for a while--have I?'
Agatha considered before replying.
You were quite exhausted, I think:
and we feared you might be ILL.,"
And Handy Andy got my job?''
She laughed outright at this, as much
| for the feeling of reinsurance it gave
her as for the jest itself.
Handy Andy certainly had a Job,
with us two on his handsi" she laugh
ed
81 bet he did" cried James, with
more vigor than he had shown before.
"He's great man; I'm for him!
| When's he coming back?''
Early in the morning, hope" said
| Agatha, swallowing her misgivings.
That's good" said James. Il think
I'll be about and good for something
myself by that time"
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Tried Trick Once Too Often.