Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1914-06-30

| oidppcu the DTOWu u Wlutcl Gu lcdfSb III
to Kissing turmoil
He had flung her from him witt
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-foor billow like can
vas sea in theater. Little puffs o
dust from the protesting ground were
wreathing about her set face, and she
pressed one hand against her shoulder
to repress her snivers.
The horrible n horrible = thing!
she said whisperingly 1T would have
bitten mel"
He came toward her, painting, ant
grasping her hand, lifted her to hel
| feet He staggered slightly as he did
SO, and she saw his lips twist to
gether oddly "Ah." she gasped. 81
bit you! 1t bit you'll"
mo" he said, 81 think not"
Look! There ON your ankle-tha
spot"
! Qlu lCC1 Jdot lh~eAt IA .
moment" He laughed uncertainty
Its queer. My foot's gone fas
asleep"
Every remnant of color left hel
face. She had known a negro chile
who had died Of 2 water-moccasln's
bite some years before-the child of 6
house-servant. 1t had been wading il
the creek in the gorge. The doctor
aad said then thar if 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
ooeyed, 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
llerchief 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: q
must not be frightened. He doesn't
realize the danger, but l do! | must
be quite collected. 1t is 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 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
few a dozen feet away.
Her heart leaped chokingly, then
dropped into hanmer-like thudding
lie 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 dllating
with some determined purpose.
What are you going to do?"
This she said, and he felt her
shrinking lips, warm and trernulous
pressed hard against his instep.
He drew away sharply, with savage
denial Mono! Not that! You
shan'tl 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 must! It's the only way. 1t
was-a moccasin, and it's deadly
Every minute counts!''
Il 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
Mo- stop, / say Oh-Im sorry If
hurt you. How strong you are!"
Let mel"
NO! Your lips are not for that
good God, that danenable thing! You
yourself might be-
Let me, Oh, how cruel you are!
1t was my fault But for me 1t would
never have"
mo! l would rather"
Let me! oh, if you died."
With all the force of her strong
young body she wrenched away his
protestant hands. A thirst and o sick
ish feeling were upon him, 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-consciousness, or
Consciousness jucsbled with strange
inlaginings, 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 a mist of woven spar
klss. At times he thought himself
recumbent stone statue in 9. wood
aid her a great tall golden-headed
flower lying broken at his feet. Again
he was a granite boulder and she a
vine with yellow leaves winding and