The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1919-06-05

did not wonder how the fire came
She slept again.
It was in the early dawn that she
awoke sharply as IL she had been
called, and stretching her stlf limbs
looked wildly about her. startlingly
aware OF the night that had passed
and her strange isolation with an un.
known man.
He lay upon the ground at the other
side Of the fire which had been piled
high with wood and was burning beau
tifully, his strong fine figure stretched
YEARLY at full length, the brown curly
hair tumbled back from his bronzed
face, which, In spite OF its soil and
CRIME showed q manly beauty. The
utter WEAKNESS and relaxation OF hfs
body made him seem like a boy.
The girl looked and wondered, and
turned away to remember. He must
have had to swim with her quite a dis
lance, and drag her to land after sht
ceased to help herself. Also, he must
have carried her a long journey. He
had upheld her when she walked be-
side him, and had sat against a tree
and made her lean against him part OF
the time while~ she sIept.Then how
did he get that fire? Some mystery
known to woodcraft no doubt. She
glanced at herself with the thick
brown coat tucked carefully about her
still. She touched it softly, almost
reverently with her finger tips. 1t was
dry! He had contrived to dry it and
put 1t about her! p
She looked over at the man again.
He wore a brown flannel shirt and
heavy trousers like the coat. He must
have been cold himself without his
coat while she slept in comfort. And
he had stayed awake all night to keep
the fire going to dry her things and
keep her warm!
There were tears in her eyes as her
glance fingered on the boyish face.
She pictured writing to her mother
what he was like, this strong man like
an angel who had saved her. Then
she shuddered at the thought OF the
wreck and all she had gone through.
What would have been her fate IL ne
had not put his arm beneath her when
she was sinking?
Presently, as the dawn crept higher
up the sky and lit the world with rose
and golden light, she stole sbyly from
her couch under the treet and, step
ping softly, came to where he was
and tucked the coat carefully about
him, as he lay, one cheek pillowed on
his arm. Her hand brushed lightly
against his hair, and she marvelled at
its softness-like a baby's. His skin.
too, had that clear rudy glow OF per-
feet health, even beneath the CRIME OF
the night. She looked down on him
with wonder and a great gratitude that
seemed to almost overwhelm her.
Perhaps all people felt so toward men
who had saved their lives; but Jean
Grayson had eve before seen a man
who seemed one-half SO strong and
great and good as this mere boy
looked to her now in the early light of
morning, asleep upon the ground and
soundly unaware of her tender min
istration.
She slipped away quietly without
Weakening him, and stood a moment
looking about her upon the strange
unknown world, wondering where she
a What state vas this? She could
not even be sure of that. Then she
looked down at herself. g.,
She wore the long black Pullman
robe of. soft silk, sadly draggled now
and torn in two or three places. How
beautiful and fine it had been but a
few short hours before! And her 9th,
er pretty clothes that had been bought
and made SO carefully at the cost OF
such family sacrifice? Were they all
gone? Would her trunk burn up? Or
had 1t gone on ahead Of her when
she had 8 topped to visit her friends
and SO escaped destruction? But she
dismissed the thought as unworthy OF
one who had but ust escaped with her
life. What were clothes beside life
But how was she to go on with her
Tourney looking like this? Her pretty
travelling gown! She felt a pang for
that. Well, she must do the best she
could.
Her hair was the worst Of all, but
she could put that right. Her precious
handbag!' She put her hand to her
breast to be sure it was there safe.
Yes, it was still fastened to her cloth
ing, though the pin had torn away and
there was but a small hold of the
cloth still in it. She pulled it out and
examined it, seated behind a tree away
from the fire and the sleeping man
Yes, the bag was safe, and its con
tents, but its beauty was gone, for the
thin leather finish was blistered and
peeling from the inner lining. The
things inside were all there, even the
strange mans leather case, wrapped
in a wet pulp of paper. She took the
paper off and threw it from her; ther
realizing how few worldly goods she
was now possessed of, she reached and
spread the paper out to dry. 1t would
be needed, of course. g., r.. So. a..
Her small store Of money was safe
and her bits of pins and watch, the
little timepiece ticking bravely on as
1 il it were alive and trying to be cheer
full under adverse circumstances.
Jean took out her combs and hail