The state herald., 1914-06-19

|
such violence that she had fallen side.
wise. Now she raised herself, kneel-
ing in the feathery light, both hands
f, clasped close to her breast, trembling
excessively with loathing and feeling
the dun earth-hoor billow like can
vas sea in n 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. ''it
bit you! II bit you!"
NO" he said Il think not"
Look There on your ankle-that
spot!"
Il did feel something, just that first
moment" He laughed uncertainty.
Its queer. My 'foot's gone fast
asleep"
Every remnant of color left her
face. She had known negro child
who had died of a watermoccasin's
bite some years before-the' child of a
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. "Sit 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 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 1t 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. It is a mile to the
doctors. 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 IL 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 dozen feet away.
Her heart leaped chokingly, then
dropped into hammerlike thudding
TO laugh but she noted that his breath
came shortly as II 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.
tences:
You mustl It's the only way. II
was-a moccasin. and it's deadly.
Every minute countsl"
Il won't No. stopl How do you
know? It's not going to-here. ilstenl
Take your hands away. Listen.--Lis
tenl can 20 to the house and send
Uncle Jefferson for the doctor and he
MOL stop. say oh-lm sorry II |
hurt you. How strong you arci'
LET met"
moi Your lips are not for that
good God, that damnable thing, You
yourself might be-"
Let mel oh, how cruel you are!
II was my fault But for me II would
never have"
mo- would rather"
Let me, oh. II you diedi".
With all the force OF her strong
young body she wrcnohod away his
protestant hands. 4 thirst and sick,
iah feeling were upon him. curious
irresponsible gIddincsS. md her hair
which that struggle had brought In
tumblod masses about her nhouldors.
seemed TO have little flames running
all over t. His foot had entirely lost
It's feeling There was strange weak.
ness In his limbs.
Moments OF halfconsciousnesa. or
consciousness jumblcd with strange
lmaginingu. followed Al times he felt
the pressure upon the wounded foot.
was sensible OF the suction Of tho
young mouth striving desperately TO
draw tho poison from the wound.
/ - -.