Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-04-08
CHAPTER ~.

he Stobu iHtlt liioih'it, ioohi'r
down into her face This time he did
not see the beauty OF its fine line. OF
The shapely chin and full lips and pa
tfician nose nor the long dark lashes
which carossed the palld check. iof
the girl had become nothing less than
his patient
And YET he made no immediate
move to administer to her.
His whole thought concentrated on
the possibilities outside. Were there
Other patients? And il so. were they
in greater need than this woman
whose inert form he now held?
Some work lay before him; posi-.
bly, many tines as much waited over
there where The fire Of the outlaws
had been directed. His delay was
only TO decide upon The wisest course.
First case and not prepared Tor
IT," he muttered, looking about al the
meaecr furnishings of his office.
Then. shifting the girls weight TO
one arm, he reached with the free
! hand for his overcoat. which hung
F., oyer The back OF chair. Spreading
! il on the floor, he laid her gently
/ upon it. l
His fingers quickly opened her
4 Jacket and unknotted the handker-
/ chief which was about her neck. The
! movements brought his knuckles
against the softncss OF her throat -
and for breath his thoughts wa,
yered in their coo, seriousness.
You'll do for moment" he said
and rose
Down below the crowd was gather
ing about the bank front like swarm
OF flies about molasses barrel. The
sound of excited talk ran high "a
Hardy looked out. He saw Dr. Honsh,
surgicaEcasc in hand. as he reached
TO throw up the window for more ali.
oh doctor"
The older man faced about
Any one hurt
'Not soul-~eycept Sears he
answered. And he couldn't have
been 50 badly hit"
He appeared 10 have more to say
but the man in the window above
drew back quickly. and DR.. Houeh
went on to mingIe with The throna.
As Hardy looked down at his pa
tient he saw that her eyes were open
and her gaze fixed on him,
Not a nice thing TO do, is it, She
murmured family, 10 keel over in a
strangers Office without even $780, an
introduction"
"She eid not smile. but Hardy rec
ocnized the fine mettle which would
manifest itself in hal light thought
in such state OF uncertain conscious
ness.
But wise selection" he answered
smiling at her. "a physicians Office
| mean"
DO YOU feel better?'
al don't know yet OF course, I'm
going TO-"
And he liked her for that.
For a moment she remained qniel
while he leaned low and laid his fin
gers lightly m her pulse; his eyes
wandered TO her face and to thu
wealth Of golden brown hair that wa
swathed about her head under the ha
so thick and fine and fragrant ina
1t verged on the distractins.
Then a lremor shot through her thu
lines OF her face became more acute
the look in her cycs--those blue-black
infinitely deep eyes in which he hat
read rich humor and ready under
: standing when he looked up from min
STEERING 10 Chef Dyke before the stage
barn week baclt-grew into one o
keen understanding, and she struggle,
TO sit.
II remember Oh, what shoot
! ing" she murmured. why =
wasn't a hundred yards, and yet--the
got away"
She looked at him with somethin
of incredulity in her face.
"Why. no one ever had bette
chance to stop Bart Sears--and to Sc
} them-iust slip away. Cgh.'
Something like Il sob escaped hel
! and Hardy caught his breath.
Disgust was In her tone; yes, som,
thing deeper than disgust. with
seasoning of scorn. perhaps and q
because a mans life had not bee
taken.
The doctor watched her, fascinate
by her physical perfection, and yet r
PEELED by that yndictiyeness whic
found outlet in broken sentences.
new light alowed in her eyes. 81
was the huntress now--the RELENTLESS
the unreasonina, and with human Ii
the quarry, ----... ILL. L.
:. Ma GRO l,l: CoNT1NrED)