Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-12-06
CHAPTER NNyI

Az HOUR later Stern and Beatrice sat
Awenk and shaken in their stronghold on
the nth floor, resting. trying TO gather up
some strength again, to pull together for
resistance 10 the Siege that had set In,
with the return or reason to the en-
gneer-his free bleeding had somewhat
checked the onset OF feNer--and OF con
seriousness to the girl they began to piece
out, bit by bit the stages OF their retreat.
Now that Stern had baTrcaded the stairs
two stories below, and that for II little while
they felt reasonably safe, they were able to
take their bearings to recall the flight, to
plan for a bit of the future, u future dark
with menace. seemingly hopeless in It's out
look
III u-hadn't been for YOU" Beatrice
was saying. III you hadn't plcked me up
and carried me, when that stone struck
II"
'How's the ache now" Stern hastily in
terrupted In "A rather weak. yet brisk. voice
which he was trying hard To render matter
OF fact. "Of course, the lack OF water. eX-
cept that half-pint or 80 to battle your
bruise with, Is a rank barbarity. But II we
haven't got any We haven't that's all. All
till we have another 20 at 'em -
"Oh. Allan" she exclaimed, tremuiOusly.
Don't think OF me- OF me- when your
backs gashed with a spear cut, your heads
battered, arm pierced, and we've neither
water nor bandages- nothing Of any kind
to treat your wounds with :"
Come now. don't you bother about me ="
he objected. trying hard 10 smile though
racked with pain I'm be q, X, ht as a
fiddle, in no time Perfect health and all
that sort ot thing. you know I'm heal
right away
Heads clear again already, In spite OF
that whaclS with the war club or whatever
II was they landed with But for a while
certainly was seeing things had 'em-
had 'em bad Thoughi-well. strange
things
MY back? Only a scratch, that's all
It's begun TO C0agulate already, the blood
has hasn't it?' And he strove to peer over
his own shoulder at the slash But the pain
made him desist lie could hardly keep
back groan. His face twltched myolun-
tarlly.
The girl sank on her knees beside him.
Her arm enclrcled him her hand smoothed
his forehead and with a strange look she
studied his unnaturally pale face.
Its your arm I'm thinking about more
than anything" said she. We've got TO
have something 70 treat that with Tell
me- does II hurt you very much, Allan?'
He tried to laugh as he glanced down at
the wounded arm, which, ligatpred about the
spear thrust with a thong and supported by
rawhde sling. looked strangely blue and
swollen,
Hurt me? Nonsense I'I be ane and
dandy In no time. The only trouble Is I'm
not much good a lighter this way
Southpaw. you see. Can't shoot worth IA
cent you know, with my left. Otherwise
wouldn't mind
shoot? Trust me for that now Z" she
exclaimed. We've still got two reyolvers
and the shotgun left, and lots OF ammuni-
tion. IN do the shootlng-if there's got
10 be any done ~
You're all right. Beatrice 2" exclaimed
the wounded man feryently. What would
l do without your And 10 think how near
you came to-but never mind. That's over
now forget IT,
Yes. but what next2"
Don't know. Get well, maybe. Things
might be worse ] might have a broken
arm or something laid Up for weeks-sloss
starvation and an that What's a mere
cut it'il begin healing right away
aRet 4 million. though. that what tiis-