Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1918-05-24
CHAPTER XII.
fortune Kicks AGAIN.

down the steep slope to the creek
bank just above his cabin. He was
sunk deep in that mental depression
which SO often follows close upon the
heels Of a great outburst of passion.
Mechanically ne twitched the reins and
sent Rather down the last shelf of bank
and he did not look up to see just
where he was. Rather was a well train
ed horse, since he was Wards. He
Obeyed the rein signal and stepped off a
two foot bank into a nest of loose piled
rocks that slid treacherously under his
feet. Sure footed, though he was, he
stumbled and fell, and it was sheer in
stinct that took Wards feet from the
stirrups IN time.
Ward sprawled among the rocks,
dazed. The shock of the fall took him
out of his fit of abstraction and he
pulled away from Rather as the horse
scrambled up and stood shaking before
him. He tried to scramble up also.
Ward sat and stared stupidity at his
left leg where, midway between his knee
and his foot. it turned out at an unnat-
| ural angle. He thought resentfully that
he had had enough trouble for once
| without having a broken leg on top of
it all.
"Now this is one deuce Of a fix" he
stated dispassionately, when pain had
in a measure cooled his first anger. He
looked around him like a man who is
not far from the cabin. He could get
there by Crawling. But what then?
Ward looked at Rather, standing do
cilely within reach Of his hand. He
! considered getting on-if he could, and
riding-well, the nearest place was ff-
way from a doctor. He glanced again
at the cabin and tried to study the sit
uation i~mpersonally. If it were SOME
| other fellow, now, what would Ward
advise him to do under the circum-
stances?
He rc.~ched down and felt his leg
! ~~,ugerly. SO far as he could tell 1t was
a straight, simple break-snapped short
on against d rock, he Judged. He shook
his head over the thought of riding If
teen miles with those broken bones
grinding their edges together. And
still, what else could he do?
He reached out, took the reins and
led Rather IA step nearer so that he
could grasp the stirrup. With his voice
he held the horse quiet while ne pullet
himself upright upon his good leg
When, with pain hurried. jerky move
ments he pulled Off the saddle. glanced
: around him and flung it behind a buci
brush. He Slipped of the bride. .huhi
> that after the saddle and gave Rattle
e n slap on the rump. The horse move'
. AWAY and Ward stared after him wit
q set lips. Anyway, YOU can look afte
. Yourself" he said, and balanced upo
his right leg while he swung aroun
" and faced the cabin. 1t was not far
. to n man with two sound legs. A hui
dred yards, pc haps.
= Ward crawled there on his hands an
II one knee, dragging the broken leg aftt
f" him. 1t was not Il nice experience, bi
y II served II good purpose-lt wipe
!. from his mind all thought OF that biae
u past wherein Buck had figured $
u, shamefully. He had enough to think
u with his present plight, without wo
j.. rying over the past.
IL In half an hour or so Ward rested h
IT arms upon his own doorstep n dro
u pea his perspiring face upon them. /
70 lay there a long while in a dead faint,
lie After awhile he moved. lifted II
re head and looked about him duly ut FIR
and then With IA certain stoical accel
auce of his plight. He looked into t
rs immediate future and tried TO foreca
its demands upon his strength
prepare for them. He crawled farth
lis up on the step, reached the latch a
Il opened the door. He crawled In, pun
himself up by the foot of his bunk a
MS sat down weakly with his head in |
ch hands. Like a hurt animal, he h
III uheyed his instinct and had crawl
n. honae.
q, HIS eyes went slowly around the ca
lin iu. measuring his and
eu nee8 and limitations. He pulled
to- one chair toward him-fhe chair Will