The Lamar register., 1914-03-04

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He came toward her. painting. and
graspinE her hand. lifted her to her
feet He staggered slightly A. he did
SO, and she saw his lips twist to-
gether oddly. "Ah," she gaapsd, II
bit you! 1t bit you'll"
NO" he said II think not"
Look There on your anke-eAaa
spoil"
IT did feel something, Just that hrst
moment" He laughed uncertainty.
TITS queer. My foot's gone fast
asleep"
Every remnant of color left her
face. She had known a negro child
who had died of a watermoccasin'
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.
She grasped his arm. ''6it down."
she commanded. here, ON this log.
and see."
Her pale fright caught him. He
obeyed, dragged OF the low shoe and
barred the tingling spot. The firm
white flesh was putting up around two
tiny bluerimmed 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 q stick through the loop and
twisted 1t till the ligature cut deeply.
while she knelt beside him, her lips
moving soundlessly, saying over and
over to herself words like these: II
must not be frightened. He doesn't
realize the danger. but 1 do! I must
be quite collected It is mile to the
Doctors. 1 might run to the house
and send Unc' Jefferson, but it 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 1t 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
flew a dozen feet away.
Her heart leaped choldngly, then
dropped into hammer-like thudding.
He leaned back on one arm. trying
to laugh. but she noted that his breath
came shortly as II he had been rum
ming. Absurd" he said. frowning.
How such-a fool thing-can hurti"
Suddenly she threw herself on the
ground and grasped the foot with both
hands He could see her face witch
with shuddering. and her eyes dilattnS
with some determined purpose.
What are you going to dot"
This" she said. and he felt her
shrinking lips. warm and tremuloua,
pressed hard against his instep.
He drew away sharply. with savage
denial. Mono! Not thati You
shanti My lord-you shan'ti" 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 musti It's the only way. n
was-a moccasin, and it's deadly.
Every minute counts!"
Il won't. No. stopi How do you
know? It's not going to-here. hstenl
Take your hands away. Listeni-Lis-
ten! I can go to the house and send
Uncle Jefferson for the doctor and he
No! stop. l say! OHM sorry II
hurt you. How strong you arei"
Let mel"
NO! Your lips are not for that
good God. that damnable thingl You
yourself might be-"
Let mel Oh. how cruel you arei
n was my fault. But for me It would
never have"
NO! / would rather"
Let me! oh. II you diedl"
With all the force of her strong
young body she wrenched away his
protestant hands. A thirst and q 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 1t. His foot had entirely lost
its feeling. There was q strange weak
ness In his limbs.
Moments of half-consciousness. OF
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