The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1937-02-25
SPEARMAN

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Jane. Don't you believe me when ]
say nobody's been talking about
you?"
! please excuse me, then. do be-
lieve you. But if you'd give me a
chance to, I'd be willing to tell you
every mean thing I've done in my
life-and leave it all to you. Don't
condemn me without a hearing
that's all ask"
Nobody is condemning you. I'm
only, if anything, condemning my
SELF . ...,~.::
"For ever coming to this country
at all, if you must know" she de-
clared in angry desperation. - u.
7 'tBut, Jane; that doesn't sound rea-
sonable," protested her companion.
II can't help that" she said petu-
lantly. II wish I'd never seen this
country. And I'm going to leave it,
the very first minute I get chance.
Don't see me any more. don't want
to see anybody till can leave here"
Jane got home thinking of how
wretchedly she had handled the sit
uation with Denison.
It proved to be her foreman, Nc
Crossen, who had been cut up in a
gambling quarrel.
Jane kept DR.. Carpy for supper,
and that evening she held him so
long as she could. She felt down in
the depths.
When he started for town, Jane
walked out in the moonlight with
him, talking and clinging to his
hand. When he mounted, she still
asked questions to keep him talking
and kept his hand in hers.
"Jane," he said, there's something
hurting your mind, not your body.
Do you want to tell me, girl?"
mot tonight, doctor"
Sometime, maybe-come to me
just the same as if I were your
father"
Her face fell against his hand. He
felt on it the warmth of her tears.
! Mustn't worry, my child. And if the
load, whatever it is, gets too heavy
you know where to bring it," he
added, wheeling away.
She had promised DR.. Capy to ride
every day, and while attending the
wounded man he kept close tab on
her, but she avoided the main trails
and kept to the hills near the ranch
house. Carpy brought little news
from Sleepy Cat, but he spoke of the
forest fires north of town.
81 hope we shan't be bothered
here" said Jane.
''No danger here unless they cross
the river. You haven't much timber
on the east ranch. There's none to
speak of over on the range. But
you've got a lot scattered around
here in the hills. If it should get
down into the reservation timber,
there would be hell to pay"
"How is McCrossen coming on,
doctor?" asked Jane.
Hell be up in few days now.
The infection is disappearing. How
are you? You're the one I'm inter-
ested in"
Following orders like a lamb,
doctor. Don't you see how brown
I'm getting?"
eyes, outside But what about in
side? That's where I want you to
get brown. By the way, your friend
Bill Denison was in to see me the
other day. He's been up north with
the. fire fighters-'way up on the
Crazy Woman at Jim Laramie's
ranch. Look here, girl" he continu-
ed, "what are you doing tomorrow?
We are going to have moose din
ner. Ever eat moose? Come in and
try it,"
Jane hesitated, "Oh, I don't
know"
"Come along. There'll be nobody
else there, if that's what you're
afraid OFF,"
Sleepy Cat looked deserted when
Jane rode in next day. She asked
McAlphin at the barn where all the
men were.
Cup north, fire fighting"
"Is it as bad as that?"
81 never saw it so bad in the
twenty years I've lived here and at
Calabasas! They brought in a wag-
onload yesterday of the worst burnt
men I ever seen in my life. The hos
pitfalls pretty near full. Doc Carpy
was there all night
| $500 WA AVA 6OAAA6 AASAAA~' SA~S
walked up to the hotel and talked
with Puss, the housekeeper. Don't
you CO." counseled Puss. IF the doc
tors expecting to see you, he'll be
all upset If you don't stay"
"But with all these men in the
hospital? I'd rather wait till he has
a free day." suggested Jane.
The housekeeper laughed. IF you
wait for a free day for the doctor,
you'll wait till Judgment day. And
he might be buster then than he is
now. There's a preacher in town this
week, baptizing folks down in the
river. 'Cording to what he says,
there'll be a lot more Sleepy Cat fire
fighters needing help Judgment day
than is needin' it now. Come in here
and take off your things"
When Jane sat down with the doc.
tor in his private dining room for
moose dinner, he made light of the
fire situation as well as of his la
hnrU