Part 41 (2/2)
”Take this, will 'ee, Johnny boy?”
Aldous stared
”Mac, you're--alive,” he breathed
”Alive as ever was, Johnny Take this”
He sed And then Joanne hovered over hilorious eyes were swi seas as she kissed hiers in her hair He held her head close to him, and for many minutes no one spoke, while MacDonald stood and looked down on theht was over MacDonald had come in time to save hih the sheen of Joanne's hair--he was in a cabin! He recognized it It was Donald MacDonald's old home When Joanne raised her head he looked about hiainst the wall Sunlight was filtering through a white curtain at the , and in the open door he saw the anxious face of Marie
He tried to lift hiently Joanne urged hilory of life and of joy He obeyed her as he would have obeyed the hand of the Madonna
She saw all his questioning
”You must be quiet, John,” she said, and never had he heard in her voice the sweetness of love that was in it now ”We will tell you everything--Donald and I But youthe rocks We brought you here at noon, and the sun is setting--and until now you have not opened your eyes Everything is well But you must be quiet You were terribly bruised by the rocks, dear”
It eet to lie under the caresses of her hand He drew her face down to hi, you understand nohy I wanted to come alone into the North?”
Her lips pressed warainst his
”I know,” she whispered, and he could feel her arras tre quickly Gently she dreay fro to make you some broth,” she said then
He watched her as she went out of the cabin, one white hand lifted to her throat
Old Donald MacDonald seated hie of the bunk He looked down at Aldous, chuckling in his beard; and Aldous, with his bruised and swollen face and half-open eyes, grinned like a happy fiend
”It was a wunerful, wunerful fight, Johnny!” said old Donald
”It was, Mac And you came in fine on the home stretch!”
”What d'yeover
”You saved roaned
”I didn't, Johnny--I didn't! DeBar killed 'im It was all over when I come
On'y--Johnny--I had a most cur'ous ith Culver Rann afore he died!”
In his eagerness Aldous was again trying to sit up when Joanne appeared in the doorway With a little cry she darted to hie of the bunk
”Go out and watch the broth, Donald,” she co back his hair, ”I forbade you to talk John, dear, aren't you going to mind me?”