The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1915-03-18

back o. her head! She's struck one
o. them floats all right. Where's tn
arnica?"
Barnes turned to his locker and rum
mayed about, finally producing an an
cient bottle and some passably clean
cloth used frequently for %bandages.
Sometimes a man grew careless with
his knife or got in the way of a pulley
block. With laundering kindness the
two men bound up the girls head, and
then vert aSout their duties.
For three days Florence eyinced not
the slightest inclination to leave the
bunk. She lay on her back either
asleep or with her eyes staring at the
beams above her head. She ate just
enough TO keep her alive; and the
strong black coffee did nothing more
than to make her wakeful. No one
knew what the matter was. There was
the bump, now diminished; but that
it should leave her in this cOmatose
state vastly puzzled the men. The
truth is she had suffered a slight con
cussion of the brain. and this, atop OF
all the worry she had had for the last
few weeks, was sufficient TO cause this
Darkness OF the mind.
The final cod was cleaned and
packed away in salt, the mudhook
raised, and the schooner Betty set her
sails for the southwest. Barnes real
lied that to save the girl she must
baye a doctor who knew his business,
Mrs. Barnes would know 10Y to care
for the girl, once she knew what the
trouble was. There would be some
news in the papers. A young and
beautiful woman did not jump from a
big Atlantic liner without the newspa
pers getting hold of the facts.
A fair wind carried the Betty into
her haven, and shortly after Florence
was sleeping peacefully in a feather
bed, ancient. it is true, but none he
less soft and inviting. In all this time
she had not spoken a single word.
The poor young thing" murmured
the motherly Mrs. Barnes. What
beautiful hair! o, John. l wish you
would give up the sea. ! hate it. 1t
is terrible. | am always watching
you in my minds EYE. in calm wealth
er, in storms. Pieces of wrecks come
ashore, and | always wonder over the
death end terror back of them
Don't y worry none about me
Betty. | never take no chances. Now
I'm goin' int tn village an bring
back tn sawbones. He'll tell us what
{ do"
The village doctor shook his grizzled
head gravely.
Shes been hurt and shocked at the
same time. 1t will be many days be.
fore she comes around to herself. Just
let her do as she pleases. Only keep
an eye on her so that she doesn't wan
der off and get lost. III watch the
newspapers and if | come across any.
thing which bears upon the case I'll
notify you"
But he searched the newspapers In
vain, for the simple fact that he did
not think to glance over the old one
The village took a good deal of in
teresC in the affair. They gossipec
about ii and strolled out to the Barnes
cottage to satisfy their curiosity. One
thing was certain to their simple
minds: some day Barnes would get 8
great sum of money for his kindness.
They had read about such things il
the family story paper. She was a rich
mans daughter: the ring on the I'm
known's finger would have fitted out
n fleet.
Florence was soon able TO walk
about. Ordinary conversation sh,
seemed to understands: but whenever
the past was preached she woult