The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1925-03-06
CHAPTER VII
The Girl Awakens

that fight up through the darkness,
and the knowledge that he must re-
tain intact the thread of consciousness
II he was to save the girl from the
alternative between death in the for
est and recapture.
AT earliest dawn he must retrieve
the pack, in case Railways men
should decide to beat about the shore
and so, perhaps, might find it. Be
yond that point he would not let his
anticipations carry him.
1t was some time before the dawn
when Lee heard the girl cry out sud-
denly. moan of pain and of surprise
as the body, heavy with its coma,
struggled to convey the sense of dis
tress to the dazed mind.
That cry drove the phantoms of deli
rum from Lees mind, pulling him
back to consciousness, and in an In
slant Lee was at the girls side. per-
fectly master of himself, and, as she
stirred and murmured, he raised her
put his arms about her, and took her
head upon his shoulder, as tenderly as
II she were some boy conrade,
wounded upon patrol.
But as he listened to her broken ut
terances Lee realized that ii was more
than physical pain that was torment
ing her.
II cannot go on. 1t was too heavy
price. must go back. If you won't
kill him, save me and take me away.
1t Is not that l didn't trust you, only
you didn't understand.
No, I'm not sure that I trust him.
He looks honest, but who knows that
he is? He isn't prospector, he hasn't
a pick or a pan. What should he be
doing in the range? Yes, I'll go
through with 1t. I'll go with you
when he's asleep, only don't harm him.
You must promise me not to harm
him.
Yes, he means well and wants to
help me. He doesn't know who you
ire. You must swear that no harm
shall come to him"
She was living over again the events |
If the past. Her utterances became |
more broken, she moaned-suddenly |
The lay quiet, relapsing into the sleep
If profound exhaustion.
And Lee staggered to his feet and
ay down once more.
But this time it was neither to sleep I
Tor to fall back into the neither depths
If delrium. He saw that a titanic
conflict had been going on within the
,irl, and it seemed to him now that
he had been going up to Railway.
in the conversation be-
ween Railway and Estelle-what
lad it been?
He pondered over it all in a dis
onnected way as he lay there, still
ware that another part of him was
wing over those days of long ago.
hen at last the first light of dawn
anne creeping through the trees. and
lowly this pain-racked, thirst-tor-
lented being settled down into him
elf again.
AS soon as 1t was half-light he was
n his feet. After looking at the girl,
nd convincing himself that she was
OF likely to awake for several hours,
e set off, aching in every limb, toward
ne shore of the lake, in order to re-
-ieve the pack.
In less than half an hour he
merged out of the forest, and, after a
areful survey of the lake had con-
inced him that neither the Free
raiders nor their boats were in evil
ence he struggled down to the river.
nd bathed in the ice-cold waters, lap
ing them up and feeling new life flow
Ito his veins.
He adjusted and frightened the band
ges. The broken rib was snugly held,
nd Lee felt that he had gone through
lie worst of it.
He found the pack. 1t contained
anket and waterproof sheet, tea,
lgar, bacon, flour, cream of tartar,
lit, corn meal some dried apricots,
atches, and nails; there were pot.
pannikin, plate, knife, fork. and
BOON, an axe and small saw.
His wound made it impossible to
TRY this on his back, but with the
re in one hand Lee sliced off num-
IF of pine branches, out of which he
a rough framework on
hich to haul the pack. An hours
ork and an hours struggle through
e woods brought him back to the
RI
She was sleeping naturally, and
ere was faint tinge of color in her ,
eeks. After short rest Lee set n
,out the task of making camp. He n
thered brushwocd and built fire. :
put on to boil the pot which he had
ought back full.of water. And, hav-
g on the return journey discovered
lall clear stream near by, he decided
at that would be safe camping
ace until they could proceed. and
bent down some saplings
ID proceeded to thatch them with
anches. to make shelter for them.
He had just begun when he heard
W call behind him. The girl was
rake and conscious at last. She was
oking at him in wonder, but not in
ar