The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1916-07-13


1t had come out. but with no signs OF
hemorrhage. He did not bleed at the
mouth; however, he began to cough Up
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 she shoot your"
Yes. She was a devil. Euchre told
me to look out for her. wasn't quick
enough"
you didn't have Toto" shivered
the girl.
NO! mol" he replied.
They did not stop climbing while Du-
ane tore a scarf and made congresses,
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. q
ut--your-woundl" 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 rolte. 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 q fire inside his
breast, and his throat burned so that
1t was necessary for him to take q
swallow of water every little while. He
began to suffer considerable pain, which
increased as the hours went by and
then gave way to a numbness. From
that time on he had need of his great
strength and endurance. Gradually he
lost his steadiness and his keen sight;
and he realized that IL he were to meet
foes. or If pursuing outlaws should
come up with him, he could make only
a poor stand. So he turned off on a
trail that appeared seldom travelled.
Soon after this move he became con-
scious of a further thickening Of his
sense. He felt able to hold on to his
saddle for q while longer, but he was
failing. Then he thought he ought to
advise Jennie, so in case she was left
alone she would have some idea or
what to do.
Jennie, I'll give out soon," he said.
Mo- don't mean-what you think.
But I'll drop soon. My strengths going.
II I die-you ride back to the main
trail. Hide and rest by day. Ride at
night That trail goes to water. be-
lieve 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
soon he could not see the trail or hear
his horse. He did not know whether
they Travelled q mile or many times
that far Eut he was conscious when
the horse topped, and had a vague
sens OF falling and feeling Jennies
arms BEFORE oil became dark to him.
When zCn~, ioGsness returned he
founs hiuaa@ lying in a little hut Of
mcaquIta .r4,al, hes. 1t was well built
and eYIGrg .4y some years old. There
were two doors or openings, one in
front and the other at the back. Duane
imagined IL lad been built by fugitive
one who meant to keep an eye both
ways aAd not to be surprised: Duane
felt leak and had no desire 20 move.
Whsre was re, anyway? strange, in
tangible sense of time, distance, of
sometning far behind weighed upon
him SlgIt Of the two packs Euchre had
made brought his thought to jennie.
What had Oecome of her? There was
evidence of her work in a smoldering
fire and little blackened coffee pot.
Probably she was outside looking after
the horses or getting water. He thought
he heard q step and listened, but he
felt tired, ard presently his eyes 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 start and turned
eagerly to him.
"Duane!" she cried.
Hello. How re you Jennie, and
how am II" he said. finding 1t little
difficult to talk.
"Oh, I'm all right" she repliod 4. And
you've come to-your Wounds healed;
but you've been sick. Fever, guess.
did all I could. 90
Duane saw now that the difference
in her ~ss q Wilderness and tightness OF
skin, a hallowness Of eye, look OF
strain. ..
"FeverT How long have We been
here?" he asked.
She tcs.x some pebbles from the
crown of his sombrero and counted
mine. Nine days." she answered.
Nine days!" he exclaimed, incredul-
ously But another look at her assured
him that she meant what she said. I've
been sick all the time? You nursed
me?"
"Yes."
"BianGs men didn't come along
here?
mo" .- ....'. ...
where are the horses?"
Il keep them grazing down in gorge
back of here. There's good grass and
water"
Have you slept any?"
"a little. Lately I couldn't keep
awake"
, Good Lord! I should think not
You've had a time or 1t sitting here day
and night nursing me. watching for the
outlaws. Come, tell me all about 1t.
There's nothing much to tell"
1T want to know. anyway, just what
you did--how you felt"
81 can't remember very WELL" she re-
piled, simply. I'VE must have ridden
40 miles that day we got away. You
bled all the time. Toward evening you
Law on your horses neck. When We
came to this place you fell out Of the
saddle. dragged you in here and
stopped your bleeding. I thought you'd
die that night. But In the morning ]
had a little hope. had forgotten the
horses. But luckily they didn't stray
far. I caught them and kept them down
in the gorge. When your wounds closed
and Won began to breathe stronger 4