The Kenna record. (Kenna, Roosevelt County, N.M.) 190?-1924, 1914-01-09

In the darkness. Billy said afterward
he had moved quickly, to shut the
door, but waved him back just as the
shot rang out
The explosion blinded, deafened.
seemed even to scorch me, while the
mirror on the wall came crashing
down. Stunned, dazzled. Mortified,
felt dull rage at this attempted
murder.
A second revolver-shot stirred my
hair, and I'm afraid then that l lost
my temper. am not fish-fag that
should stoop to fighting a creature
such as Polly, but l would have died
rather than let her see one trace of
fear.
Billy rushed past the firing to reach
the door and close it, but ordered him
to desist, then grasped the candle and
held 1t out to show a better light.
Lower your lights!" / shouted into
dark, you fred too high"
A revolver crashed on the doorstep,
and low down within three feet of the
ground, saw a dreadful face convuls-
ed with rage, changing to fear. The
woman was sinking to her knees, she
buried her face in grimy, blood
smeared hands, and rocked to and fro
in awful abandonment of grief.
The danger was over now, the men
ace of evil in the night had vanished.
felt an immense relief, with hands
wet, mouth parched, knees shaking,
and great need of tears. knew the
| strain had been beyond endurance but
now It was gone. although velvet
darkness closing round me, black night
swinging round me, Sickness must
not faint, when I had to fight, to keep
command, to set an example worthy
of Jesse's wife. And there was sit
ting in my chair, with drops of sweat
forming and pouring on my forehead
Billy, cropping on the floor at my feet,
had found and lighted the candle, and
was holding the flame in the palms of
his hands till it steadied and blazed
up clear. Buck up, missus," he was
saying. "Cheer-oh Don't let 'em know
you swoomed. Grab on to the cross,
and make 1t proud OF you, That's
right. Laugh, mum! Laugh! Wish'd
I'd half yer grit"
/ had come to myself and only Billy
knew, who was loyal. AS the candle
blazed up saw the Chinaman glib
bering like some toothless mask of
yellow india-rubber, but that nurse
still kept up her silly screaming, un-
! til l ordered her to shut her mouth,
which she did in sheer surprise.
There lay Polly prone across the
doorway on her face, racked with con-
vulsive sobs, until feeling, l suppose,
on hands and knees like some forlorn
wild animal crawling to shelter, while
behind her stretched a trail of wet
and blood. stared until in shame she
sat up, still for all the world like
an animal lost to human feeling, and
to woman's dignity, until as she looked
at me a wan shamed smile seemed to
apologize. She sat back then against
the log wall. limp. relaxed with weak
ness
Nurse" called, still with my gaze
on Polly, this woman is wounded.
You are a nurse. You claimed to be
nurse"
But Miss Panton INDUCED in ~hys-
terics, so turned to Billy. Run into
the house, get the hip bath, warm
water, blankets, bandages."
AYE, aye. num-" he touched his
forelock, and swinging the Chinaman
to his feet: Come along, SAM" he
grunted, and hustled him off on duty.
Polly looked up, trusting me with
her tawny bloodshot eyes. Her voice
was a dreary hoarseness, demanding
liquor But with an open wound, to
quicken the hearts action might be
fatal, and Polly knew well 1t was no
use pleading. Instead of that she
pointed at the nurse, and said, Send
that away"
turned upon Nurse Panton who sat
forsaken and ostentatious in her cor
ner. Co." l said, "and make beef
tea"
Sniff.
took her by the shoulders, and
marched her out of the room, while
Polly grinned approval | came back
and asked where she was wounded
She pointed to the left hip, but dared
not remove any clothing which might
have caught and sealed the flow OF
blood. A sole diet Of alcohol and
months of neglect had made her condi
ton such that shrank from touching