Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-07-12

SucfS were In sight.
Jennie, We're going to get away!"
he cried, eXultation for her In his voice.
She was gazing horror stricken at
his breast, as in turning to look back
! he faced her.
"Oh, Duane, your shirts all bloody!"
she faltered. pointing with trembling
fingers.
With her words Duane became aware
of two things-the hand he instinctive-
ly placed to his breast still held his
gun, and he had sustained a terrible
| wound.
Duane a been shot through the
breast far enough down to give him
grave apprehension of his life. The
lean cut hole made by the bullet bled
freely both at it's entrance n where
it had come out. but with no signs OF
hemorrhage. He did not bleed at the
mouth; however. he began to cough up
a reddish tinged foam.
AS they rode on Jennie. with pale
face and mute lips, looked at him.
I'm badly hurt. Jennie" he said. but
l guess I'll stick it out"
The woman-did h shoot you?"
Yes. She was a devil. Euchre told
me to look out for her. l wasn't quick
enough"
You didn't have to-to-" shivered
the girl.
mo! MOI" he replied.
They did not stop climbing while Du-
ane tore a scarf and made congresses,
which he bound tightly over his
time up the rough trail. From open
places Duane looked down. When they
surmounted the steep ascent and stood
on top of the Rim Rock, with no signs
Of pursuit down in the valley m with
the wild. broken Businesses before them,
Duane turned to the girl and assured
her that they now had every chance
OF escape.
"But-your-wound!" she faltered.
with dark, troubled eyes. II see-the
blood-dripping from your back!"
Jennie. I'll take a lot of killing" he
said.
Then he became silent and attended
to the uneven trail. He was aware
presently that he had not come into
BANDS camp by this route. But that
did not matter; any trail leading out
beyond the Rim Rock was safe enough.
What he wanted was to get far away
into some wild retreat where he could
hide until he recovered from his wound.
He seemed to feel a fire inside his
breast. and his throat burned so that
1t was necessary for him to al a
swallow of water every little while. He
began to suffer considerable pain, which
increased as the hours went by and
then gave 4 to a numbness. From
that time on he had need of his great
sll n. IN and endurance. Gradually he
los, his steadiness and his keen sight:
and he realized hat If he were to meet
foes, or il pursuing outlaws should
come up with him, he could make only
u poor stand. So he turned off on a
trail that appeared seldom travelled.
Sool after this move he became con-
scioas of Il further thickening of his
sense. He felt able to hold on to his
saddle for d while longer. but he was
fai.ing. Then he thought he ought to
- i-, 80, ca -, aN-~ .h~ xy,nc Infk
alai.e she would have some idea OF
what tn do.
Jennie. I'll give out soon," he said.
mol don't mean-what o think.
Blu Vll drop soon. My strengths going.
II l die--yuu ride back to the main
trait. Hide and rest by day. Ride at
night. That trail goes to water. L be-
iicvc you could get across the Nueces,
where some rancher will take you in
Duane could not get the meaning of
her incoherent reply. He rode on. and
o % he could not Gee the trail or hear
his horse. He q not know whether
they travelled a .lile or many times
the horse stopped, and had a g
! sense OF falling and feeling Jennie's
arms before all became dark to him.
When consciousness returned he
found himself lying in a little hut Of
mesquite branches. 1t was we'll built
AAAN SS1NOAiSAy SOllC years OAAs
! were two doors or openings. n in
/ front and the other at the back. Duane
imagined 1t had been built by a fugitive
one who meant to keep an eye both
! ways n not to be surprised. Duane
felt weak and had no desire to move.
Where was he, anyway? A strange. in.
tangible Of time. distance. OF
something far behind weighed upon
him. sight OF the two packs Euchre had
made brought his thought to Jennie.
What had become Of her? There was
evidence of her work in a smOldering
fire and q little blackened coffee pot.
Probably she was outside looking after
he heard q step n listened. u he
felt tired. and presently his eyes closed
and he fell into q doze.
Awakening from this, he saw Jennie
sitting beside him. In some way she
seemed to have changed. When he
spoke she gave a start n turned
eagerly to him.
"Duane!" she cried.
Hello. How re you. Jennie. and
how am II" he said. finding 1t q little
difficult to talk.
"oh. nm all right" she replied. And
but you've been sick. Fever. I guess.
did all I could.
Duane saw now that the difference
In her was q wilderness and tightness OF
skin. q hallowness Of BYE q look Of
strain.
Fever? Flow long have we beer
here?s' he asked.
She took some pebbles from tn,
crown Of his sombreto and counted
Ithem.
'Nine. Nine days." she answered.
'Nina days!'' he exclaimed. incrodul.
ously. but another look at her assured
him that she meant what she said. tive
Ihnn0 n1Nk Nh the timAf Y0u naapnas
Smo9s