Cavalier County farmers press. (Langdon, N.D.) 1920-1921, 1920-11-11

him. Poor Daddy!"
'Wc'N send for that surgeon tomor-
row" 20 said.
She was back in a moment, carrying
q pan OF water, fresh bandages, and a
Notwithstanding brown bottle-cam.
phor. the universal first aid in the
Flatwoods. The h~lood-soaked ban
dages were deftly removed and the
wound re-washed. She picked up the
brown bottle.
i am sorry to hurt YOU" she said.
But it will keep the fever down."
You're the DOCTOR was his slow
answer.
She uncorked the bottle and applied
some of its contents to the wound with
Il bit of cotton. Hurt! 1t hurt so that
he laughed.
Anything to get ready for tonight"
he grinned, under the bite of the pow
erful antiseptic.
Tonight" she repeated blanlly.
"Why, you mustn't think"
Il must, though. Big things depend
on tonight" She saw a stcrnness
gather in his eyes. He'll think I've
left the Flatwoods." he muttercd on.
more to himself than to her. It's
what he's been waiting for. His game!
tonight .-and-!"
The girl saw the fingers of his right
hand .clench against his ~palm-doubt-
less quite unconsciously-while the
knotted ridges of his great forearm
punched and swelled; but the full
meaning of the muttered words hap
PLY missed her.
Can YOU stand more camphor?" she
asked.
III swim in it, if it will get me up
The girl laughed. moistened the cot
ton and laid it OF the wound. He did
not even vince. The sting of it had
become to him a necessity, the CRATE
full means to an end that must be ac-
complished. Without tonight there
could be no tomorrow. She saturated
more of the cotton, laid it on the cash
and bandaged it there, drew the blouse
back into place, smoothed the pillow
under his head and went to the
Kitchen.
He heard the rattle of the stove, and
knew that she was preparing him
something to eat. 1t moved him. for
he knew how pitiful little that kitchen
held, and YET she was going to share
it with him-the best of it-share it
with a smile, and the grace of Il prin-
cess. He wore to himself that there
should be food in that kitchen tomor-
row.
She was back in a surprisingly short
time. bearing a tray of such food as
she bad been able to prepare hastily
some broth, crisp toast, a poached egg,
and black coffee.
He was sound asleep.
She tiptoed back to the kitchen, set
the tray on the stove hearth where it
would keep warm, re-entered the room,
drew Il chair up beside the sofa, and
kept the b~uzzing flies away from his
face while he slept.
Noon came and passed. Several
times n went to the kitchen to mend
the fire and keep the tray warm many
a time she Slipped from window to
window, and listened at the doors for
sound Of the hunters that somewhere
combed the woods. The shadows
turned eastward and still the man
slept. The day had worn away to mid
afternoon when he tossed restlessly
and flung his right arm above his head.
Ihe movement seemed to provoke the
hurt. He came awake-with the quick
intuition of the woodsman knew he
had slept long. He started to rise.
She sprang UP and laid her hand on
his shoulder.
But l mustn't impose on you like
this he protested.
Didn't YOU say a little bit ago that
| was the doctor?"
That dry smile that always started
in his eyes first, crawled out across
his face.
Then | command you to stay right
where you are" she answered to the
slow smile, as she hurried out to the
kitchen and carried in the tray.
She sat down beside him on the
couch, fixed his arm easy in the sling,
put sugar in the black coffee, and even
buttered his toast. The P]earlhunter
had never lived in such luxury. 1t
was a dream-like some of the stories
Of fairies and enchanted palaces his
mother used TO tell of years ago in the
long winter evenings on the house
boat. He half feared that he might
not really be awake; that, after all, it
might turn out to be some trick, like
that of the gorge that closed.
She rose, pushed away the table and
helped him back upon the couch.
"Try to Sleep" she said, while
smoothing the pillow undnr his head,
IRI'|N sgsEA