The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1920-03-05
A
DOUBLE HERO
M
By ULMAR

lilllt HbIl1S. Lie tCIblllS ely DIou@ll
the widows unmarried sister, Della
Marvin, speedily to her side with IL,
alarmed query:
what Is it?"
"Tfna" gasped Mrs. Drew.
is dying-dead! !"
"She is neither" spoke a w.
voice and then, peering
ter, Della noted a young 40
ping and haggard, a darH
stain across his forehead. one JlIu a,
~parently helpless. He bore IN tie
| other the idol of the household. Ina.
with dark hair and closed eyes. She
seemed l~ifeless.
"Quick Attend to her! She fell
from the bridge. | jumped IN and
struck the abutment, but managed TO
get her ashore. Is she yours? is this
her home? Revive her, before II Is
too late !"
AS the mother snatched the child
from his arms, the stranger stumbled
across the threshold, wavered towards
a couch and fell across it. There he
ay, prone and apparently senseless.
The little one revived inside q few
minutes and it's mother SObbing, with
fright and then JOY, carried her about
the room. Della glided over to the
rescuer and stood palpitatingly gazing
down at him.
He was a handsome. vigorous young
man and intelligence and refinement
showed in his cOlOrleSs face. Della
was divided between pity and graft
tude.
"Give me the little one" she spoke
to her sister. you have been a nurse
and must attend to her brave rescuer.
Oh, Alice! he looks like one dead.
Had we not better send for the doctor
at Once?' But to this Alice dissented.
She had known skilled service in a
hospital and her experiences enabled
her to correctly diagnose the case.
"You must help me get the young
man into the spare bedroom, Della"
she said. 81 do not think he is seri-
ously injured, but the cut on his head
needs immediate attention"
Della put down Tina and with her
sisters aid removed the soggy coat
and vest Of their patient. There was
a c~onspicuousness about them and
the cap that did not accord with his
general appearance. Garment and
headgear were of a loud plaid pat
tern, suggesting the overdressed man
Of style, sportily inclined. Mrs. Drew
bathed the wound of the stranger.
1--WE must have our n~eighbor, Mr..
Morse, get the young man TO bed"
said Mrs. Drew. Ask him to step
over, will you, Della?' And that good
old man was summoned, and Mrs.
Drew expressed a sigh Of satisfaction
when at last the patient was resting
comfortably, although he had not yet
opened his eyes and ever and non
gave utterance TO incOherent wander
ings like a person In the delirium Of
fever.
That evening q young man or the
village, Varney DriscOll, called at the
Drew home. OF late he had called
regularly once q week and had been
Della's escort to a number Of town
social functions. Della felt his COM
partnership u~ncongenial, but accepted
his attentions. not wishing to offend
him. On this particular occasion she
excused herself through her sister,
who briefly alluded to the adventure
Of little Tina and the fact that they
wished to keep the house quiet for
her brave rescuer. The medicine chest
came into helpful play that night and
by morning the patient seemed to haye
passed the crisis.
He gave his name as Wallace
Barnes. but told little else. The next
day he was weak and lethargic. and
Mrs. Drew told him he had better re-
main quiet for a day or two, to which
Instructions he presence Of Della
seemed to make him heed. 1t was the
following day that Della went to the
door to be confronted by Driscoll and
the village marshal.
"YOu have a guest here we have
come after" said the latter.
"Yes, the owner of those clothes I
saw hanging on the line.' supplement-
ed DriscOll. "They gave me my cue.
According to a circular Offering a re-
ward of one hundred dollars they be-
long to a man the police are looking
for, wanted for embezzlement."
LET US pass" ordered the marshal,
as Della shrank back In b%ewilderment,
and he forced his way past her. Ron
aid Purcell. l arrest you in the name
of the law"
"But don't happen to be Ronald
Purcell" calmly announced the young
man.
"Your clothes answer the descrip-
ton sent out by the police" contend
ed the official.
"Very likely, al ] wore them pur-
posely to throw the police off the trail
of my dearest friend, Purcell. who Is
by this time safe In hiding until we
can disprove the false charges against
him. My name Is Wallace Barnes. as
non ~ rao1ilx ocaot. /, n =.