The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1923-07-27
CHAPTER xI-Continued.
a.


i've done the service. Only don't
mention pay TO me. But there's one
thing I'd like you to know, and | find
It hard to say. It's prompted. maybe,
BIZ what / know you think of me and
what / imagine your family and
friends would think if they knew. It's
not prompted by pride or conceit. And
it's this: Such a woman as you should
never have come to this Godforsaken
country unless she meant to forget
herself. But as you did come. and as
you were dragged away by those dev
lis. / want you to know that all your
wealth and position and infiuence-all
that power behind you-would never
have saved you from hell tonight. Only
such a man as Nels or Nick Steele or
] could have done that"
Madeline Hammond felt the great
leveling force of the truth. Whatever
the difference between her and Stew
art. or whatever the imagined differ
ence set up by false standards of class
and culture, the truth was that here
on this wild mQuntain-side she was
only woman and he was simply a
man. 1t was man that she needed,
and if her choice could have been con-
sidered in this extremity 1t would
have fallen upon him who had just
faced her in quiet, bitter speech. Here
was food for thought.
81 reckon we'd better start now" he
said, and drew the horse to a large
rock Come"
Madeline's will greatly exceeded her
strength. For the first time she ac-
knowledged to herself that she had
been hurt. Still. she did not feel much
pain except when she moved her shout
Der Once in the saddle, where Stew
art lifted her, she dropped weakly.
The way was rough; every step the
horse took hurt her; and the slope of
the ground threw her forward on the.
pommel
"Here is the TRAIL" said Stewart, at
length
Not far from that point Madeline
swayed, and but for Stewards support
would have fallen from the saddle She
heard him swear under his breath.
Here. this won't do" he said
"Throw your leg over the pommel
The other one-there."
Then, mounting. he slipped behind
her and lifted and turned her, and
then held her with his left arm so
that she lay across the saddle and his
knees, her head against his shoulder.
AS the horse started into a rapid
walk Madeline gradually lost all pain
and discomfort when she relaxed her
muscles. Presently she let herself go
and lay inert. greatly 10 her relief.
For. little while she seemed to be
half drunk with the gentle swaying of
hammock. Her mind became at once
dreamy and active, as if it thought
fully recorded the slow, soft impress
sions pouring in from all her senses.
She could not believe the evidence of
the days happenings. Would any of
her people, her friends, ever believe
It? Could she tell it? She remem-
bered the ghoulish visages of those
starved rebels, and marveled at her
blessed fortune in escaping them.
Stewards arrival in the glade, the
courage with which he had faced the
outlawed men, grew as real to her now
rs the iron arm that clasped her. Had
II been an instinct which had impor-
tuned her to save. this man when he
lay III and hopeless in the shack at
Chiricahua? In helping him had she
hedged round her forces that had lust
operated TO save her life, or if not
that, more than life was to her? She
believed so.
A heavy languor. like blanket, be-
gan 10 steal upon her. She wavered
and drifted. With the last half-con.
scious sense of muffled throb at her
ear. something intangibly sweet
deep-toned. and strange, like distant
calling bell. she fell asleep with her
head on Stewards breast.
CHAPTER XII