The Irish standard., 1914-03-14
CHAPTER XIV.
On t,,s Edae Of ths we,,d,

CHAPTER XIV.
On the Edge o. che Wesed.
There was . pause not to DO rec1.
,oned by minutes but suffocatingly
long. She had grown % pale a. he.
That was ungenerous Of you" she
said then with icy slowness. Though
no doubt yon-found It entertaining.
It must have still further amused you
to be taken for an architect?"
II am fiattered." he replied, with q
trace Of bitterness. ito have suggested
even for q moment, 90 worthy q call,
ing"
At his answer she put out her hand
with sudden gesture. as II bluntly
thrusting the matter from her CON.
Germ, and turning went back along the
trse-shadowed path.
He followed glumly, gnawing his
lip. wanting to say he knew not what,
but wretchedly tonguetied, noting
that the great white moth was still
waving it's creamy wings on the dead
stump and wondering II she would
take the cape jessamines. He felt an
embarrassed relief when, passing the
roots where they lay, she stopped to
raise them.
Then all at once the blood seemed
to shrink from his heart. With .
hoarse cry he leaped toward her,
seized her wrist and roughly dragged
her back, feeling a. he did 30. q sharp
fiery sting on his instep. The next
moment, with clenched teeth, he waa
viciously stamping his heel again and
again. driving into the soft earth q
twisting root-like something that
slapped the brown wintered leaves In
to q kissing turmoil.
He had flung her from him with
such violence that she had fallen side.
wise. Now she raised herself meel-
ing in the feathery light, both hands
clasped close to her breast, trembling
excessively with loathing and feeling
the dun earth-aoor billow like can
vas sea In 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 a. he did
40, and she saw his lips twist to.
gether oddly. "Ah." she gasped, at
bit you! It bit you'll"
! NO." he said. II think not"
Look! There on your ankle-thak
spot!"
- II did feel something, just that flrs&
moment" He laughed uncertainty.
"lt's queer. Ny foot's gone fast
asleep"
Every remnant Of color left her
face. She had known a negro child
who had died Of a watermoccasin's
bite some years befcre-the child Of .
house-servant. It had been wading In
the creek In the gorge. The doctor
had said then that IL 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
obeysd, dragged on the low shoe and
barred the tingling spot. The flrm
white flesh was pufhng up around two
tiny blue-rimmed punctures. He
reached into his pocket, then remem.
bered that he had no knife. Al tho
next best thing he knotted his hand.
kerchief quickly above the ankle,
thrust q stick through the loop and
twisted it till the ligature cut deeply,
while she knelt beside him, her lps
moving soundlessly. saying over and
over to herself words like these: Il
must not be frightened. He doesn't
realize the danger, but I do! must
be quite collected. It 10 . mile to the
Doctors. might run to the house
and send Unc' Jefferson, but It would
take too long. Besides. the doctne
might not be there. There IL no one
to do anything but me-"
She crouched beside him, putting
her hands by his on the stick and
wrenchtng 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
new 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 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 witch
with shuddering, and her eyes dilatins
With some determined purpose.
What are you going to dot"
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
shant! Ny lord-you shant!" 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. Il
was-a moccasin. and its deadly.
Every minute counts!"
~