Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1914-11-06
'Weathered
A Narrow Escape
BY ERr1IN1H HOLLAND
BY ERr1IN1H HOLLAND
Copyright by Frank A. Munsey Co


He would never have done It." said
the girl, Strengthening herself a no
ment from her task-"he would never
have done 1t II they hadn't forced him
TO It. They were always teasing and
haunting, nagging and grumbling. until
be got sick of It ALL"
She resumed her work-the kneading
Of a foury mass OF dough-with the
energy OF an unnatural force within.
They thought because they had saved
some money from the fruit OF their
hard labors they would make a gentle
man Of him. being the only one they
had, And when they had done that
they gave him no peace until he mar
ried her. 1t didn't matter about me.
1t was nothing to them that l had
grown TO think Of him all day long and
dream Of him at nights. II was moth
ing to them that / went to school long
or than we could afford and read books
and studied nights that 1 might not be
too ignorant And I would have gone
away to be a nurse and left them
alone. old and feeble as they are. for
his sake"
She spoke in a voice that was indis-
tinctly audible, for there was none to
hear, The deep breathing from the in
ner chamber told her that Its occupants
could be awakened by nc such sounds,
and she vas tired Of her silent thoughts.
II scarcely get time to think In the
daytime" she continued. with the
work and the looking after them, but
at nights It is different. And on nights
like this. when II is blowing hard and
the wind means and the snow drifts
and drifts. then It comes into my head,
and II won't leave me, and l can't send
It away with sleep. for sleep d hard to
bring these nights-"
She finished In silence, placing the
spongy material in a dish and covering
It with a white cloth for the night
Then she went TO the door and open
ed It cautiously. 1t was Wild and
stormy without A SnOw laden blast
swept into the room, making the lamp
flame flicker almost to extinction. She
closed 1t hurriedly ere the drift at Its
base should fall inward.
"It gets worse and worse" she MUIR
INJURED. The Lord lend bis aid to any
n abroad In the hills tonight The
storm would blind and freeze and the
road would Surs be lost. 1t reminds
me Of the blizzard OF ak years back,
when l was teaching In Cedar Valley.
The storm lasted three days, and
She stopped suddenly to listen. An
unwOnted sound In the wind had
caught her ear. like 4 voice, a hail
close at hand.
In an instant she had opened the
door once more and stood peering out
into the night
She did o wait long. A form
emerged from out the darkness and
the clouds Of swirling snow, and a man
paused at the stOOp TO unlOose his
snowshOes and stamp the white clods
from his mOccasined feet. Then, with
a mufied greeting, he stepped past her
into the room.
tits you. dOctOrF' she exclaimed.
yes" he said, II am forced to give
In at last / tried 1t on foot from
Browns, but lost the road just be-
yond here and all idea OF direction"
TITS the worst for many and many
a long year." she replied. "And you're
new at the Glen. You're not wealth
cred.
II hope and pray there is no one in
sad distress this night doctorT' she
asked anxiously.
'Tt is Mrs. Graham of the Ridge.
She has pneumonia and a weak heart.
They think she cannot get through the
night" He walked r~estlessly to the
end OF the room and back. II fear
they are in sore need Of assistance"
The girls heart beat with great force
at his words, but her face showed no
sign. She placed a chair for him. filled
his cup with tea. pressed him to par
take OF the cold v%enison, then sat down
ON the settee and looked steadily at the
nre as It roared and sparkled up the
chimney.
ut Is a bad trouble" she said at
length. Then, as II a sudden thought
had come: you're DR.. Might
you be kin OF theirsT'
"No. But l used to know DIR. Jack.
We were at college together"
HAS he been sent forr'
81 believe 30. But it will take some
days to get here II this state Of wealth
er continues"
He went on: II understand he has
opened up a practice near my old home
In Port Arthur. II Is rather strange
that l should have done the same thing
down here-near his"
"Have you ever seen-his wifeT' The
girls voice faltered on the last words.
81 have not" he answered. I'VE are
entirely out OF touch lately. ! did not
know be had married"
1.-THE paper said she was talented
ana his mother told me that she was
beautiful-and rich"
A long silence fell between them.
The doctor leaned back in the old arm
chair and soon dozed. The girl sat
straight up. with her hands clasped TO-
Oafher IN her Ian and her gaze Rtfll On