Meade County news., 1918-03-21

there by :rawling. 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 fif-
teen miles. And that was good, long
way from a doctor. He glayced again
at the cabin and tried to study the sit
uation impersonally. If it were some
other fellow, now, what would Ward
advise him to do under the circum-
stances?
He reached down and felt his leg
gingerly. So far as he could tell 1t was
straight, simple break-snapped short
off against rock, he judged. He shook
his head over the thought Of riding fif-
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 a step nearer so that he
could grasp the stirrup. With his voice
LIE held the horse quiet while he pulled
himself upright upon his good leg.
Then, with pain hurried, jerky move
ments he pulled off the saddle, glanced
around him and flung it behind bucA
brush. He slipped off the bride, flung
that after the saddle and gave Rather
a slap on the rump. The horse moved
away and Ward stared after him with
set lips. Anyway, you can look after
yourself" he said, and balanced upon
his right leg while he swung around
and faced the cabin. It was not far
to nan with two sound legs. A hun
dred yards, pc haps.
Ward crawled there on his hands and
one knee, dragging the broken leg after
him. 1t was not a nice experience, but
it served one good purpose-it wiped
from his mind all thought of that black
past wherein Buck had figured so
shamefuisy. He had enough to think Of
with his present plight, without wor-
rying over the past.
In half an hour or so Ward rested his
arms upon his own doorstep and drop
ped his perspiring face upon them. He
lay there long while in dead faint.
After awhile he moved, lifted his
head and looked about him duly at first
and then with certain stolcal accept
ance Of his plight. He looked into the
immediate future and tried to forecast
its demands upon his strength and to
prepare for them. He crawled farther
up on the step, reached the latch and
opened the door. He crawled in, pulled
himself up by the foot of his bunk and
sat down weakly with his head in his
hands. Like a hurt animal, he had
obeyed his instinct and had crawled
home.
His eyes went slowly around the cab
in, measuring his resources and his
needs and limitations. He pulled his
one chair toward him-the chair which
Buck Olney had occupied so unwilling
ly-and placed his left knee upon it.
He managed to reach the cupboard
where he kept his dishes, and took down
bottle of liniment and box Of car
boliZed vaseline which he happened to
have. He was near the two big zinc
water pals which he had filled that
morning just to show Buck Olney how
cool he was over his capture, and he
bethought him that water was going to
be precious in the next few weeks.
He lifted down one pail and swung
1t forward as far as he could and set
it on the floor ahead of him. Then he
swung the other pail beside 1t. Pain
fully he hitched his chair alongside,
lifted the pals and set them forward
again. He did that twice and got them
beside his bunk. He went back and in
speCted the teakettle, found it half full
and carried that also beside the bunk.
Then he rested awhile.
Bandagesl Well, there was a new
| flour sack hanging on nail. He stood
up, leaned and got 1t, and while he
was standing he reached for the cigar
box, where he kept his bachelor sewing
outfit-two spools Of very coarse thread,
some large eyed needles to carry it, an
assortment Of buttons and a pair Of
scissors. He cut the -four sack into
strips and sewed the strips together;
his stitches were neater than you might
think.
When the bandage was long enough
he rolled it as he had seen doctors do,
and fished some pins out of the cigar
box and laid them where he could get
his fingers on them quickly. He stood
up again, reached across to a box of
canned milk and pried Off the lid. 'I'm
liable to need you, too," he muttered
to the rows Of cans, and pulled the box
close. he took Buck Olney's knife and
whitfield some very creditable splints
from the thin boards and rummaged In
his "warbag" under the bunk for hand
kerchiefs with which to wrap the
splints.
When he had done all that he could
do to prepare for the long siege Of pain
and helplessness ahead of him he NOV
ed along the bunk until he was sitting
near the head Of 1t with his broken leg
extended before him and took q last
look to make sure that everything was
ready. He felt his gun at his hip, re-
moved belt and all and threw It back
upon the bed. Then he turned his head
and stared, frowning, at the black butt
where 1t protruded from the holster
Suggestively ready to his hand. he