Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-10-24

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 can't help woman out of
mans saddle?"
The man smiled at that
ITS automatic" he returned. Il
shall never get over wanting to help
you, guess. Have you come TO tell
me that | can go?"
Flinging the bride reins oven 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 your" she
teased, sitting beside him. Every time
come it's always the same thing:
When can l go?' You're not well
yet"
''Tm well enough TO do what I've
got to do, Corona; and until it's done.
|. Besides, there is Jibhey."
where is MIR. 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 cal him the black
sheep and the failure and cross the
street to dodge him when he'd been
drinking too much !"
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"
mo- l didn't mean to tell anyone.
But to think of his coming out here
to nurse me, leaving Yerda on the
night be married herl A brother of
my own blood wouldn't have done it,"
The young woman was looking up
with a shrewd little smile. Maybe
the blood brother would do even that,
If you had just made it possible for
him to marry the girl he'd set his
heart on, John"
"Piflie" 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 gu haven't
been told was because we didn't want
you TO worry we wanted you 10 have
a chance to get well and strong again"
The mans eyes filed suddenly, and
he took no shame. He was still shaky
enough in nerve and muscle to ex-
cuse it. Nobody ever had such
! friends, Corona" he said you ali
knew I'd have to go back to Lawrence
vile and fight it 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
auley ever since l was in Knockers. He
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"
Its so. You were not the only one
wounded in the fight at the dam.
There were two others-two of
MGraw's men. Three days later. just
as colonel-daddy and Billy Starbuck
were getting ready to steal you away,
one of the others died. In some way
the report got out that you were the
one who died, and that made every
thing quite easy The report has never
been contradicted. and when Mr..
Macauley reached Brewster the police
people told him that he was TOO late"
Good heavens! Does everybody in
Brewster think I'm dead"
Nearly everybody. But you needn't
look so Mortified. You're not dead,
you know; and there were no obitu-
aries in the newspapers. or anything
like that"
The man got upon his feet rather
unsteadily.
That's the limit" he said defini-
lively. I'm a man now, Corona; too
much of a man. hope, TO hide behind
another mans grave I'm going back
to Brewster, today y
The young woman made quaint
little grimace at him. How are you
going to get there?' she asked. IT'S
twenty miles, and the walking is aw-
| fully bad--in spots"
"But I must go. Can't you see
what everybody will say of me?-that
was too cowardly to face the music