Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1919-06-12

ROAt
IF you can walk it wilHkeep 20,
warm" he said briefly; and with NJ
apology for his arm about ner he hu-
ried her on. 1t was all she could d.
to keep up with his pace, and whe1
her feet faltered he seemed TO almos.
lift her from the ground as he still
strobe On.
I'VE must keep going" he sale
again, as if h. had NO more breath to
waste in words. On and OH they went
but still they did not come to any hu
man habitation. Finally, when he cav
that she could go no further, and thai
she needed rest, he made her sit down
in a sheltered place behind some
trees. Later, when she was almos,
asleep, she knew her head va resting
against his shoulder. Once in the
night she awoke and saw a fire blaz.
ing near her, and realized that a
mans coat was spread over her and
she was warn and comparatively dry
There was no one in sight, but she
heard Il step not far away and the
cracking of breaking branches. She
did not wonder how the fire came.
She slept again.
1t was in the early dawn that she
awoke sharply as if she had been
called, and stretching her stiff 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
wearily at full length, the brown curly
hair tumbled back from his bronzed
face, which in spite G. It's soil and
Crime showed a manly beauty. The
utter WEAKNESS and relaxation of his
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 she
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 slept. Then how
did he get that fire? Some mystery
known to woodcraft no doubt. She
glanced at herself with the thick
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 it about her!
She looked over at the IA 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 vas 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 he
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 shyly 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 ruddy 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 30 toward men
who had saved their lives; but Jean
Grayson hadsnever before seen a man
who seemed oue-half 10 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. ii
She slipped away quietly vtthou.
Weakening him, and stood . moment
looking about her upon the strange
unknown world, wondering where she
was. What. state was this? She could
not even be sure Of that. Then she
looked down at herself.
She wore the long black Pullman
robe OF aoft silk, sadly drsgglsd now
and torn in two or three places. How
beautiful and fine 1t had been but q
few short hours before! Ana Rer 9th,