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

SuciS WeIc XII SlSuI.
Jennie, were 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 instructive
ly placed to his breast still held his
gun, and he had sustained a terrible
wound.
Duane had been shot through the
breast far enough down to give him
grave apprehension of his life. The
clean cut hole made by the bullet bled
freely both at it's entrance and where
1t had come out. but with no signs Of
hemorrhage. He did not bleed al 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 1T out"
The woman-did n 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-
Liz IOlc d SCdI1 anu IIlduo COIlpreSS6S,
which he bound tightly over his
wounds. The fresh horses made fast
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 and, 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. Il see-the
blood-drippiny from you back!"
Jennie. I'll take q lot of killing" he
! said.
Then he became silent n attended
to the uneven trail. He was aware
presently that he a not come into
BANDS camp by this route. But h a
beyond the Rim Rock was safe enough.
What he wanted vas 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
it was necessary for him to take a
swallow of water every little while. He
began to suffer considerable pain, which
increased VS. the hours wen by and
then gave way to a numbness. From
that time III he had need of his great
stl n. III and endurance. Gradually he
ApSs tsIS oIlO 1llS hCSLl u
and he realized that If he were to meet
Toes. or il pursuing outlaws should
come up with him, he could make only
Il poor stand. SO he turned off on a
trail that appeared seldom travelled.
Sool aa;er this move he became con-
St :se. He felt able to hold on to his
saddle for d while longer. but he was
f~ai.ing. Then he thought he ought to
advise Jennie. so IL case she was left
alai.@ she would lave some idea OF
Mlat to do.
"No-l don't ~mean-what o think.
But I'll drop soon. My strengths going.
VI l die--you ride back To the main
trail. Hide n rest by day. Ride at
night. Eat trail goes to water. l be-
licvc YOU could get across the Nueces.
where some rancner will take o in
Duane could not get the meaning of
her incollerent reply. He rode on, and
soon he could not see the trail or e
his horse. He q not know whether
they travelled a nile or man times
that far. But he was conscious when
the horse stopped. and la a vague
sense OF falling and feeling Jennie's
arms before all became lark to him.
When consciousness returned he
found himself lying in a little hut of
mesquite branches. 1t was we'll built
and evidently some years Old. There
We're two doors or openings. one in
front and the other at the back. Duane
imagined it had been built by a fugitive
one who meant to keep an eye both
ways and not to be surprised. Duane
felt weak and had no desire to move.
Where was he. anyway? A strange. in
tangible sense OF time. distance. of
something far behind weighed upon
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
the horses or getting water. He thought
he heard a step n listened. but he
felt tired. and presently his yes closed
and he fell into a 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 and turned
eagerly to him.
"Duane!" she cried.
Hello. How re you. Jennie. and
how am II" he said. finding 1t q little
difficult Il talk.
ooh. I'm all right she replied. And
you've come to-your Wounds healed:
but you've been sick. Fever. I guess. /
did all ] could.
Duane saw now that the difference
In her was q Wilderness and tightness OF
skin, q hailowness of, eye. q look Of
strain.
Fever. How long have we been
here p he asked.
She took some pebbles from the
Drown Of his sombrero and counted
Mine. Nine days." she answered.
'.Nino days!" he exclaimed. iucrodul-
ously. But another look at her assured
him that she meant what she said. .Tve
been sick III the timer You nurssd
ma3s
yea"