The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-11-24
CHAPTER TX
Under the Greenwood Tree

Slowly, and with pungent taste or
raw brandy in his mouth, Hubert
Stane came to himself. The first
thing he saw was Helen Yardely's
white face bending over him, and the
first sound he heard was a cry Of
sobbing gladness.
OH cried the girl. You must
be still, Mr.. Stane. I am afraid you
are rather badly hurt. indeed, 1
thought you were killed. 1 am going
to do what 1 can for you, now that
l know that you are not. Your leg
is broken. 1 think, and you have other
injuries, but tina is most serious, and
I must manage to set it, somehow"
ITO set it" he began, and broke
off.
Yes. I am afraid I shall not prove
a very efficient surgeon; but l will do
my best. I hold the st. Johns Am
bulance medal, so you might be worse
off" she said with a wan smile.
Without more ado h departed,
taking with her an ak, and presently
through the stiffness of the forest
there reached him the sound of chop
ping. Lying as he was on the fiat of
his back, he couldn't see the leg, and
desiring to do so he made a great
effort and sat up. As he did so. he
groaned heavily. and incontinently
tainted.
He was still unconscious when the
girl returned. and after one quick
look Of alarm she nodded to herself.
"a faint" she whispered. Perhaps
il is Just as we'll"
With a knife she ripped the
brooches lee right up the seam. then
with the aid Of moss and a blanket,
together with the rough splints She
had cut. she made a shift to set the
broken leg.
At last she gave a sob of relief and
stood up to survey her handiwork.
The splicing and the binding looked
terribly rough, but she was confident
that the fractured ends Of bone were
IN position. and in any case she had
done her best.
After that she busted herself with
building a fire, and after heating
water. washed the wound on Stances
forehead. and carefully examined him
for other injuries.
Cutting a quantity of young spruce
boughs she fashioned them into a bed
close beside where be lay. and filed
all the interstices With springy moss,
laying over all a blanket. That done,
she turned once more to Stane, to
find him with eyes wide open, watch
ing her.
The ordeal Of getting Stane to bed
was certainly a painful one, but by
no means so difficult as the girl had
anticipated. Making a sling out of
the pack ropes, Helen held the in
jured leg clear of the ground. whilst
Stane, using his arms and his other
leg, managed to lift himself hack
ward on to his improvised couch.
Stane was too lone up to eat much,
but he swallowed a fair quantity Of
coffee, whilst the girl forced herself
to eat. having already realized that
the welfare of both OF them for the
time being depended upon her and
upon her strength. When the meal
was ended, she found his pipe. charged
it for him, and procured him a light
and with a murmur Of thanks, Stane
began to smoke.
Il thought 1 was done for" he
said as he looked toward the tangled
trunks. 81 slipped and plunged right
into a sort of ~crevasse. didn't 70"
Eyes" answered Helen quietly. ct
was a little time before I could find
you. There was a kind of den made
by crossed trunks, and you had
slipped between them into it."
How did you manage to get me
out?" he asked. his eyes on the annaz.
ing tumble of trunks and branches.
We'll" was the reply, given with
a little laugh, "as I told you this
morning, I am fairly strong. But
It. was q hard task for all that. I
had to cut away quite a number of
interlacing branches, and hoist you
out of the crevasse with the pack
ropes. then slide you down the dead
tall as best I could. When 1 got you
TO the ground. I went through your
pack and found the brandy which I
say you place there this morning. The
rest you know"
Stane looked at her with eyes that
glOwed with admiration. You make
1t a little thing" he said gratefully,
but I know what it means. You have
saved my life, Miss Yardely."
The girl flushed crimson. and then
laughed a little to hide her embar-
rassment. "Oh. as to that-we are
quits. Mr.. Stane."
He looked at her and noticed for
the first time that her blouse was
badly torn. Half of one sleeve was
ripped away, and there was a long
e through which he caught the
CLEAN Of a white shoulder. Her skirt
he saw was in no better case. She
caught his glance and laughed.
I'm a perfect Cinderella 1t viii
take me hours to sew up these rents. ,
Do you think it is worth while?"
he asked with a faint smile. I'm not
much of a tailor myself. and / should