The Ozark spectator., 1916-10-11

felt weak and had no desire to move. Where was he, anyway? A strange, intangible sense of time, distance, of something far behind weighed upon him. He thought he heard step and listened, but he felt tired, and present. ly his eyes closed and he fell into q doze.
 Awakening from this lie saw Jennie sitting beside him. In some way she seemed to have changed. When he spoke she gave q start and turned eagerly to him.
 "'Duane :" she cried.
 Hello. How re you, Jennie and how am r." lie said, finding it a little difficult to talk.
 "Oh, I'm all right" she replied. And you've come to-your wounds healed; but you've been sick. Fever, I guess. I did all I could"
 Duane saw now that the difference in her was whiteness and tightness of skin, q hollownes5 of eye, a look of strain.
 Fever? How loug have we been here?" he asked.
 She took some pebbles from the crown of his sombrero and counted them.
 .Nine. Nine days" she answered.
 Mine daysl !" he exclaimed, incredu- lously. But another look at her as- sured him that she meant what she said.
 "Bland's men didn't come along bere?"
 "No."
 Have you slept any?"
 "A little. Lately I couldn't keep awake"
 'I should think not. You've had q time of it sitting here day and night nursing me. watching for the outlaws. Come, tell me all about it.
 ''There's nothing much to tell" she replied, simply We must have rid den forty miles that day we got away. You bled all the time. Toward even- ing you lay on your horses neck. When we came to this place you fell out of the saddle. I dragged you in here and stopped your bleeding. l though you'd die that night. But in the morning I had little hope. l 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 you be- gan to breathe stronger 1 thought you'd get we'll quick. It was fever that put you back. You rayed lot, and that worried me, because I couldn't stop you. Anybody trailing us could have heard you q good ways. 1 don't know whether I was scared most then or when you were quiet, and it was so dark and lonely anG still all around. Every day 1 put a stone in your hat"
 Jennie, you saved my life" said Duane.
 II don't know. Maybe. I did all I knew how to do," she replied. You saved mine-more than my life"
 Their eyes met in long gaze, and then their hands in q close clasp.
 Jennie, we're going to get away" he said, with gladneSs. ''rll be well
 
 strong I am. We'll hide by day and travel by night. l can get you across the river"
 And then?" she asked.
 wen find some honest rancher,"
 And then?" she persisted.
 why" he began, slowly, that's as far as my thoughts ever got. It was pretty hard. IN,eH you, to assure my self so much. It means your safety. Youll tell your story. Youll be sent to some village or town and taken care of until relative or friend is notified"
 And you?" she inquired in a strange voice.
 Duane kept silence.
 What will you do?" she went on.
 Jennie, I'll go back to the brakes. daren't show my face among re- spectable people. I'm an outlaw"
 You won't go back among these terrible men? You. with your gentle ness and sweetness-all that's good about you? Oh, Duane, don't-don't go"
 "I can't go back to the outlaws, at least not Bland's band. No, I'll go alone. I'll lone-wolf it. as they say on the border. Never mind about me. Jennie"
 CHAPTER X.