Page:The leopard's spots - a romance of the white man's burden-1865-1900 (IA leopardsspotsrom00dixo).pdf/150

 in their bodies. There in the midst of the heap lay the unconscious girl gagged.

"Is she hurt?" cried a mountain boy.

"Can't tell, take her to the house quick."

They laid her across the bed in the room that had been made sweet and tidy for the bride and groom. The mother bent over her quickly with a light. Just where the blue veins crossed in her delicate temple there was a round hole from which a scarlet stream was running down her white throat.

Without a word the mother brought Tom, showed it to him, and then fell into his arms and burst into a flood of tears.

"Don't, don't cry so Annie! It might have been worse. Let us thank God she was saved from them brutes."

Hose's friends crowded round Tom now with tear-stained faces.

"Tom, you don't know how broke up we all are over this. Poor child, we did the best we could."

"It's all right, boys. You've been my friends to-night. You've saved my little gal. I want to shake hands with you and thank you. If you hadn't been here—My God, I can't think of what would 'a happened! Now it's all right. She's safe in God's hands."

The next morning when Tom Camp called at the parsonage to see the Preacher and arrange for the funeral of his daughter he found him in bed.

"Dr. Durham is quite sick, Mr. Camp, but he'll see you," said Mrs. Durham.

"Thank you, M'am."

She took the old soldier by the hand and her voice choked as she said,

"You have my heart's deepest sympathy in your awful sorrow."

"It'll be all for the best, M'am. The Lord gave and