Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1923-09-06

| the right anu walked beside Madeline,
steadying her In the saddle. At first
Madeline was so weak and dizzy that
she could scarcely retain her seat.
The dizziness left her presently, and
then she made an effort to ride with
out help. Her weakness, however, and
pain In her wrenched arm made the
task laborsome.
Stewart had struck off the trail, If
there were one, and was keeping to
denser parts of the forest. Majesty's
hoofs made no sound on the soft
ground, and Stewart strobe on without
| speaking. Neither his hurry nor vigil
ance relaxed until at least two miles
had been covered. The soft ground
gave place to bare, rocky soil. The
horse snorted and tossed his head A
sound of splashing water broke the 81
lence The hollow opened into a wider
one through which little brook muir
INJURED its way over the stones. Maj
esty snorted again and stopped and
| bent his head.
HE wants drink" said Madeline.
Pm thirsty, too, and very tired"
Stewart lifted her out Of the sad
| die, and as their hands parted she
| felt something moist and warm. Blood
was running down her arm and into
| the palm of her hand.
'Tm-bleeding," she said, little
unsteadily. ooh, / remember. My arm
was hurt"
She held 1t out, the blood making
her conscious of her weakness. Stew
arts fingers felt SO firm and sure.
Swiftly he ripped the wet sleeve. Her
forearm had been cut or scratched.
He washed off the blood.
"Why, Stewart, it's nothing. 1 was
only little nervous / guess that's
the first time ever saw my own
blood"
He made no reply as he tore her
handkerchief into strips and bound her
arm. His swift motions and his silence
gave her hint of how he might meet
more serious emergency. She felt
safe. And because of that impression,
when he lifted his head and she saw
that he was pale and shaking, she was
surprised. He stood before her folding
his scarf, which was still wet, and
from which he made no effort to re-
move the red stains.
Miss Hammond" he said, hoarsely.
ut was mans hands-a Greasers fin
gernails-that cut your arm. L,kow
who he was. could have killed him.
But mightn't have got your freedom.
You understand? didn't dare"
Madeline gazed at Stewart, as
founded more by his speech than his
excessive emotion.
My dear ,boyl" she exclaimed. And
then she paused. She could not find
words.
He was making an apology to her
for not killing man who had laid n
rough hand upon her person. He was
ashamed and seemed to be in tor
ture that she would not understand
why he had not killed the man. There
seemed to be something Of passionate
scorn in him that he had not been able
to avenge her as well as free her.
Stewart, understand. You were
being my kind of cowboy. 1 thank
you"
But she did not understand so much
as she implied She had heard many
stories 0f this mans cool Indifference
to peril and death. He had always
seemed as hard as granite. Why
should the sight Of little blood upon
her arm pale his cheek and shake his
hand and thicken his voice? What
was there in his nature to make him
implore her to see the only reason he
could not kill an outlaw? The answer
to the first question was that he loved
her. It was beyond hsr to answer the
second. But the secret Of it lay in
the same strength from which his love
sprang--an intensity Of feeling which
seemed characteristic of these western
men OF simple, lonely, elemental lives.
All at once over Madeline rushed a
tide on realization Of how greatly it
was possible for such man as Stewart
to love her. The thought came to her in
all its singular power. All her eastern
lovers who had the graces that made
them her equals insthe sight Of the world
were without the only great essential
that lonely, hard life had given to
Stewart. Nature here struck a Just
balance. Something deep and dim in
the future, an unknown voice, called
to Madeline and disturbed her. And
because It was not voice to her in
telligence she deadened the ears Of
her warm and throbbing life and de-
cided never to listen.
us 1t safe to rest a little?" she
asked. Il am so tired. Perhaps I'll
be stronger If l rest"
Were all right now" he said. II
can get you home by midnight. They'll
be some worried down there"
what happened?"
"Nothing mucn to any one but you.
That's the-the hard luck of it. Flor
ence caught us out on the slope. We
were returning from the fire. We
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