Nogales international., 1933-12-09
NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY


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"Ann, do you think it's going to
rain?" asked Ruth, with an anxious
look toward the mountain where War
rem had gone.
Ann shrugged. Maybe so. Good
thing to have big rain. We can hang
the clothes on the porch
But the rain was not big enc. It
came steadily all afternoon though not
with violence-a penetrating drizzie,
oddly cold.
Ruth could no longer see the noun
tains distinctly-they hulked graylSh
blur against the dull sky. She knew it
would be impossible to find Kenneth
and at every moment she expected to
see him ride into the clearing. But
little after three she could wait nc
longer and asked Ann to help her
catch and saddle Brisket who had not
gone far from the corrals that morn
ing ard now waited at the gate for his
old crony, Sanchez. Snavely had not
yet come in from riding the lower
pasture.
Just as Ruth was tying her hus-
bands winter overcoat on her saddle,
Warren rode in. His shoulders were
drawn up and his smile was distorted
by shiver. =.
We'll, here am. / had the darned-
est time with this old fool of horse
when it started to rain / went to get
him and found that he'd come united
and gone for stroll. l chased him all
over that end of the ranch-neyer
sweat SO much in my life-took me an
hour to catch him"
Ruth put her husband to bed, fed
him scalding coffee and piled on all
the available tedclothes. By the time
Kenneth should have been uncomfort-
ably warm, his teeth chattcred so that
he could not speak. Then suddenly
the chilli left and he was too warm.
Ruth discovered that her clinical
thermometer was useleSS-hot weather
had forced the mercury to hundred
and twelve and it refused to be shaken
down again She sat still and watched
the dull red spots on Warren's cheeks
grow brighter and expand, utterly
helpless even to know how bad tie
iertr was. Periodically, she felt ali
oyerpoWering impulse to run into the
ranch house and telephone doctor,
and periodically she remembered that
there was no telephone 1t seemed in
credible.
1t was dark when at last she did so
into the ranch house. Neither Snavely
nor Ann had inquired about Warren ;
now Snayely looked up as though
,~o,,larf.,,E t,t3a,y D,,sA tae. Srr-
per.
The girl spoke. Some one mist so
for doctoT!''
is he that sick;' asked Snavely.
without mitch surprise.
I'm afraid it's pncuuonia-please
go!"
Why, there amt no doctor be-
tween here an towil--eighty-hve
miles"
Then we'll have to go to town for
one-piease hurryF'
but not having no automobile we
couldn't get there for"
"Old Charley" exclaimed the girl.
'Ride over to his place, and he'll go i'll
his car"
"The horses is all turned out" com
planned Snavely, ''an' anyways l don't
like to bother no Eeighbcr-they don't
bother me none no more an"
A cold, clear headed fury possessed
the girl. Listen she commanded
'you are to start for Thames this
minute and ride as fast as you can
Do you understand that?"
Amazenaent shown in Snaveiy';
face; a reply came to his lips but hi
thought better of it. Then with {
jump his pale eyes turned on Ann
"Go ahead~
The girl heard the feet of Ann:
horse on the rocks ten minutes later
there must have been a horse neal
the corral after all, she thought idly
Kenneth was talking ceaselessiy ane
traintelligibly. She put David to bet
without his usual goodnight story ant
seated herself by her husband.
Hour dragged after hour, For ;
time the sick man seemed to sleep
The girl sat immovable, his hot, dr.
hands In hers, her pleading eyes on hi
face. Now and again his lips Autteret
and she bent down her head. Bu
there was no speech. The silence O
the hot night pressed close; the empty
miles Of notionless desert made them
selves felt, as If they. too, were con
cerned with what took place in the ole
adobe. All the silent world seemed
waiting, waiting. Many times
bits of the road to town flashed
through the girls mind; she saw th'
twists, the hills, sand-filled arroyos
shore stretches where speed was pos
sible. The road was 80 very long
Twice 1t would have to be Travelled
hAkorA the doctor came She knew