The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1914-07-17

such violence that she had fallen SIDE
wise. Now she raised herself. kneel-
ing In the feathery light. both hands
clasped close to her breast. trembling
excessively with loathing and feeling
the dun earth-floor billow like can
vas sea In a theater. Little puffs OF
dust from the protesting ground were
wreathing about her set face. and she
pressed one hand against her shoulder
to repress her shivers.
The horrible - horrible - thing!
she said whisperingly. 1T would have
bitten mel"
He came toward her. painting. and
grasping her hand. lifted her to her
feet. He staggered slightly as he did
SO, and she saw. his lips twist to-
gether oddly. "Ah." she gasped. 1T
bit you! 1t bit you!"
NO" he said, Il think not"
Look! There on your ankle-that
spot"
81 did feel something, just that first
moment" He laughed uncertainty.
TITS queer. My foot's gone fast
asleep"
Every remnant of color left her
face. She had known negro child
who had died of water-moccasin's
bite some years before-the child OF
house-servant. 1t had been wading In
the creek in the gorge. The doctor
had said then that II one Of the other
children.
y HCtt dnUn ~
she commanded. here. on this log.
and see."
Her pale fright caught him. He
obeyed, dragged off the low shoe and
barred the tingling spot. The firm
white flesh was putting up around two
tiny blue-rimmed punctures. He
reached into his pocket, then remem-
bered that he had no knife. AS the
next best thing he knotted his hand
kerchief quickly above the ankle.
thrust a stick through the loop and
twisted it till the ligature cut deeply.
while she knelt beside him. her lips
moving soundlessly, saying over and
over to herself words like these: IL
must not be frightened. He doesn't
realize the danger, but do! must
be quite collected. 1t is mile to the
doctors. | might run to the house
and send Unc' Jefferson. but 1t would
take too long. Besides, the doctor
might not be there. There is no one
to do anything but me-"
She crouched beside him, putting
her hands by his on the stick and
wrenching it over with all her
strength. Tighter, tighter" she said
1T must be tighter" But. to her dis
may, at the last turn the improvised
cord snapped, and the released stick
few a dozen feet away.
Her heart leaped chokingly, then
dropped into hammer-like thudding.
He leaned back on one arm, trying
to laugh, but she noted that his breath
came shortly as If he had been run
ming. Absurd" he said, frowning
How such-a fool thing-can hurt!"
Suddenly she threw herself on the
ground and grasped the foot with both
hands. He could see her face twitch
with shuddering. and her eyes dilating
with some determined purpose.
What are you going to do?"
This" she said, and he felt her
shrinking lips, warm and tremulous,
pressed hard against his instep.
He drew away sharply, with savage
denial. Mono! Not that! You
shan't! My lord-you shan't!" He
dragged his numbing foot from her
desperate grasp. lifting himself, push
ing her from him; but she fought with
him. clinging. painting broken SEN
fences:
"You must! It's the only way. 1t
was--a moccasin, and it's deadly
Every minute counts!"
II won't. No, stop! How do you
know? It's not going to-here, listen!
Take your hands away. Listen!-Lis-
ten! can go to the house and send
Uncle Jefferson for the doctor and he
No! stop. say! Oh-Pm sorry IL I
hurt you. How strong you arel"
Let mel"
mo! Your lips are not for that
good God. that damnable thing! You
yourself might be-
hcS iut. vi, now CTuel you arc
It was my fault. But for me It would
never have"
mo! / would rather"
Let me! Oh, II you died."
With all the force of her strong
young body she wrenched away his
protestant hands. A thirst and sick
ish feeling were upon him. a curious
irresponsible giddiness, and her hair
which that struggle had brought in
tumbled masses about her shoulders.
seemed to have little flames running
all over It. His foot had entirely lost
its feeling. There was a strange weak
ness In his limbs.
Moments of half-consciousnes or
consciousness jumbled with strange
imaginings. followed. At times he felt
the pressure upon the wounded foot,
was sensible of the suction of the
young mouth striving desperately to
draw the poison from the wound.
From time to time he was conscious
of white desperate face haloed with
hair that was q mist OF woven spar