The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1917-10-27

years, and its crumbling shackS. only
one Of which seemed to have survived
in habltable entirety, scattered amonl
the frs of the guIch.
At the top Of the rise the horSewom
an drew rein and shaded her eyes
beside the door on the single tenanted
| cabin q man was sitting, and She saw
him stand to answer her hand-wavc
A few minutes later the man, 4 gaunt
young fellow with one arm in a sling
| and the pallOr Of a long confinement
whitening his face and hands, was try
Ing 10 help the horsewoman to dis
mount in the cabin dOoryard, but she
pushed him aside and swung out OF
the saddle unaided, laughing at him
out of the slate-gray eyes and saying
How often have got to tell you that
you simply cant help a woman out of
a mans saddle?'
The man smiled at that
'It's automatic" he returned. 81
shall never get over wanting to- help
you, guess. Have you coms to tell
me that I can go?"
Fllnging the bride reins over the
head OF the wiry little cow-pony which
was thus left free to crop the short,
sweet grass Of the creek valley, the
young woman led the man to the house
bench and made him sit down.
you are frightfully anxious to go
and commit suicide, aren't you" she
I come it's always the same thing :
When can I go!' You're not well
yet"
I'm well enough to do what I've
got to do, Corona; and until It's done.
Besides, there Is Jibbey."
"Where is Mr.. Jibbey this morning"
HE has gone up the creek, fishing
/ made him go. If / didn't take club
to him now and then he'd hang over
me all the time. There never was
another man like him, Corona. And
at home we used to call him the black
sheep and the failure and cross the
street to dodge him when he'd been
drinking too muchw
HE says you've made a man Of
him; that you saved his life when you
had every reason not to. You never
told me that, John"
"NO; I didn't mean to tell anyone.
But to think Of his coming out here
to nurse me, leaving Veftia on the
night he married her! A brother of
my own blood wouldn't have done It,"
The young woman was looking up
with shrewd little smile. Maybe
the blood brother would do even that,
If you had just made 1t possible for
him to marry the girl he'd set his
heart on, John"
"Plff1e." growled the man. And
then: Hasn't the time come when
you can tell me a little more about
what happened to me after the doctor
put me to sleep that night at the
damp
"Yes. The only reason you haven't
been told was because we didn't want
you to worry; we wanted you to have
u SllduCe W get well anu SlTOuS uSuiU.
The mans eyes filled suddenly, and
he took no shame. He was still shaky
enough in nerve and muscle to ex-
cuse 1t. Nobody ever had such
friends, Corona" he said. "You all
knew I'd have to 60 back to Lawrence
Vile and fight 1t out, and you didn't
want me to go handicapped and half
dead. But how did they come to let
you take me away? I've known Mac
luley ever since I was in Knockers. lie
IS not the man to take any chances"
The young woman's laugh was
soundless. "Mr. Macauley wasn't |
asked. He thinks you are dead" she
said.
What"
ats so. You were not the only one
in the fight at the dam.
There were two others-two Of
MGraw's men. Three days later, just