Part 54 (1/2)

I looked along the sheets that covered me

It was Mary

All I could see of her head were the coils of her golden hair, for she had my hand in both her own and her face was hidden on the bed-spread

I could hear her voice whispering softly She was praying She repeated ht be allowed to live

Froer But I dared not ht disturb her

She rose at last and bent over ed head She scrutinised rance of her breath and the perfuive h, for such an ecstasy I would go on being deceitful to the end of time,--she stooped lower and her full, soft, warm lips touchedloveliness I tried to s silence She fed h et here? What day of the as it? Was Joe Clark dead?

”Hush, hush!+” she chided ”You ”

”But I can't sleep forever Already I have been asleep for years,” I complained feebly

”Hush, then, and I will tell you”

She sat down by my bedside and I lay still and quiet as she went over what she knew

”This is Saturday evening I found you, lying unconscious,--dead as I thought,--out on the path, as I went for fresh water yesterday ht you here I did not knohat had befallen you I was afraid you had been set upon by the thieves who tried to rob Jake Meaghan; but from what you have just said, it was Superintendent Clark who attacked you”

I nodded

”Was he not lying there beside me,--dead?” I asked

”Hush!+ There was no one near you; but the place looked as if a herd of buffalo had thundered over it”

I was puzzled, but I tried to laugh and the atteet me here?” I interrupted

”Now!” she said, ”if you speak again, I will tell you nothing

”I ran hoot two poles and fixed the blankets to these I rolled you over on to my improvised stretcher and trailed you here, Indian fashi+on It was easy as easy Mrs Malmsbury was abed and I did not wish to disturb her just then Later, when I got you here, she helped lad that man did not murder you”

”But it would not have been ht”

”But why should two, strong, clean-living young e,” she added quickly, ”for I ae animals to us women”

I smiled