Snow-Bound at Eagle's

ared. A hasty inventory of provisions and means of subsistence s

to have known it when he bought the place; in fact, I was ashamed to admit that he did not. But that is like John to prefer his own theories to the experience of others. However, I don't suppose we sho

e?" ech

remember; I thought you might warm to the name, and perhaps trace the connection, now that you are such good friends. It's providential they are here, as we haven't got a h

anything mor

trustworthy. But that again is the result of John's idea of emp

that he betrayed a civic ignorance of the ordinary details of the farm and rustic household. It was quite impossible that she should retain her distrustful attitude, or he his reserve in their enforced companionship. They talked freely of subjects suggested by the situation, Falkner exhibiting a general knowledge and intuition of things wit

the dining-room, a little more deliberately arranged and ornamented than usual, the two women were somewhat surprised to receive an excuse

Mrs. Hale, confidently, "and mus

h the poor boy myself," said Mrs. Scott, simply

ale, pertly, "and your 'poor boy,' as you

rted her mother, "unless you keep him more q

ith a slight increase of animation. "I don't propose to leave them too much together. After dinner we'll adjourn to their room

ely essential to his quick recovery. Encouraged by Falkner's grave and practical assistance, which she could not ignore, Kate ventured to make an examination of Lee's wound. Even to her unpractised eye it was less serious than at first appeared. The great loss o

stinctive tact, began to affect Kate nearly as it had the others. She found herself laughing over the work she had undertaken in a pure sense of duty; she joined in the hilarity prod

p of the staircase, while mountains of surgical opportunities lie in a humble orange peel judiciously exposed. Only I warn you that you wouldn

ne that already, Kate

was a man up at Strawberry fell under a sledge-load of wood in the snow. Stunned by the shock, he was slowly freezing to death, when, with a tremendous effort, he

," said Mrs. Scott, who was liste

unknowingly cut off under the pleasing supposi

he fire sparkling on the hearth seemed to lend a charm to their peculiar isolation, and it was not until Mrs. Scott rose with a warning that they were trespassing upon the rest of their patient that they discovered that the evening had slipped by unnoti

just h-ll

le on his boyish face,

d excitement. They've got it! That man Hale wanted to show off by going for us; he's had his chance, and will have it again before I've done with him. That d-d fool of a messenger wanted to go out of his way to ex

laying it on th

you; I see you've given

and they know n

ls here? Where is the swindle? This hole in my leg? If you had been five minutes under that girl's d-d sympathetic fingers you'd have thought it was genuine. Is it in our trying to get away? Do you call that te

ce, but he could see from the movement of George's sh

h a derringer under the bedclothes. Your rushing in from your peaceful pastoral pursuits in the barn, with a pitchfork in

e to see it, George,"

That was YOUR idea. You thought it would remove suspicion, and as you believed I was bleeding to death you played that game for all it was worth to save me. You might have done what I asked you to do-propped me up in th

speaking, slid his hand along the coverlet. Lee grasped it, and t

nnot go on here in this wa

he fellow who's obliged to tell every one the last company he was in, or the last thing he did! Do you suppose even these pretty little women tell US their whole story? Do you fancy that this St. John in the wilderness is canonized in his family? Perhaps, when I take the liberty to intrude in his affairs, as he has in mine, he'd see he is

owing the boyish lines of his cheek on the pillow, from the shadow of the light brown lashes under his closed lids to the lifting of his short upper lip over his whi

ned looking out upon the storm. Suddenly he extinguished the light, and passing

you a

fect

rying to get i

eh?" said

cans, I think. One

awing himself up t

el

He believes the

og-d-d

e door. Let them get in quietly. They'll come here first. It's HIS room, you understand, and if there's any money it'

s

n the room shut the door and go for the other. But no noise. Thi

OU, Ge

ithout turning down the bedclothes

pillow, closed on the handle of his pistol. Falkner quietly slipped into the passage. The light of the

isinterpreted by ears less keen than the sleeper's; but when the apparent creaking of a far-off shutter was followed by the sliding apparition of a dark head of tangled hair at the door, Lee had not been deceived, and wa

rasped the handle of the door, but r

t, and co

sleeper's eyes were wide open; the slee

let that candle

ounded and frightened half-bree

the long whip in his left hand

YOU dr

against the wall

t door no

d with tremb

low voice, "bring

ing in another gasping figure, whose eyes were starti

said Lee, "

hesitatingly opened in the passage broke the sti

hing the

. "Everything's the matter," he called out cheerily. "Ned's managed to h

himself," broke in ano

illain," whispered Le

," responded Falkner, wit

oices, and then the door was hear

ke no noise. And you, Manuel! tell him what his and y

than words, at his confederate, as Falkner shoved him before him fro

in?" entreated Manue

door!" The

d comfortably settling the pillows behind his back, "we'll have a quiet confab. A sort of old-fashione

d by the good-humored voice, but not near enough

ble trouble, too. Well, what have you got to say

nervously, and only uttered an un

ale was away and these women were here without a man to help them. You t

m to confidence; unfortunately, it

ap. I reckoned ez one gentleman in the profession wouldn't inter

and

t f

I s

d up and gl

he living God they'll rush in here only to find you ly

twice over the ruffian's shoulders. Writhing in supp

sh your memory. Did you ever learn, when you were with me-before I was obliged

mmered th

woman, a child, or any but

epeated

lay a finger upon a woman, old

N

ur morals. So you were running off with the stock and that mustang, when you got stuck in the snow; and the luminous idea

cap

your

ly nigger fro

he hasn't had a very brilliant

, for al

u know it or can find it. I give you two days to do it-you and he. At the end

whitened, his teeth chatte

u are superstitious. I only want you to exchange them for that pair of Hale's in the corner. The fact is I have t

's boots on." A sy

mong Southwestern d

superstit

ots with their muffled covering

pen th

irst. They might quarrel. The habit of carrying arms, Manuel," added Lee, as Falkner took a pistol and bowie-knif

t wise, George, to let those hell-hounds loose? Good God! I could scarcel

ou against allowing the natural pride of a higher walk to prejudice you against the general level of our profession. Indeed, I was quite st

rupted Falkner,

it WAS wise to let them get away before they discovered two things. One, our exact relations here with these women; and the

e d

can conceive of by supposing us cleverer scoun

ape and tell

oduce them if necessary, as evidence of Manuel's evening call. At present we'll keep the thing quiet, and in the early morning you can f

they g

llow in th

l gives t

ft behind in the house? Not mu

oftly and looked out. He did not appear to be listening, for his eyes were fixed upon a small pencil of light that stole across the passage from the foot of Kate's door. He watched it until it suddenly disappear

said Falkn

es

the road one dark night, and saw the light burning

ilence. "Does that mean you're w

N

venting sacrilegious con

know that you have not been resting well, for even after your friend met with that mishap in the hall, I

sly at Falkner's pal