Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 1092 — page 8: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

‘rel b ‘country, ‘‘ scared out,” as every one se i oe uy ne i eS 4—fT a. ee eae ei ee ee ee + judge was an old man, who was not able to stand the fall, like the others, P PPPs? CE OW are, eee Old Cross-Eye, the Maveric -Hunter. ee _—- --—— -—— + been there before, and she knew that he bad Iam only anxious to try if Ican do any good. | studied the art of medicine, and bad graduated He was riding bard, to get bome early, when | from somes Eastern college, when some misfor- bis pony stumbled against the wire fence and | tune to which be would not revert, had sent threw him over its head, cutting a deep gash in || him to the West, with no means to establish a 'tone of the words he used restored her self-. the poor animal’s chest, at the same time that it | practice anywhere, and had forced him into the knocked the old man seuseless, | recovered from the angry consternation into which th; discovery of the fence had thrown | them, and managed to get bim home to his daughters. There was sorrow and grief in the Colfings- | worth homestead that night, but there was not | occupation of a cowboy. His men picked him up as soon as they had | The girl hesitated for a moment, and then said to Shorty: 73s ‘‘T will see the gentleman, James. Tell him I will be down in a minute.” Shorty, whose ful name was James Benton, retired, and Helen whispered to Diana: “Mr, Field has come. Heisa doctor. Shall the angry determination on revenge displayed | we call him in? He may save father’s life.” by the bachelor members of the county society ; | for the girls were too much frmghtened and | if she feared her sister’s answer, and it was grieved to know what to think, They had beard that the new log’ palace, | which the cattle company bad erected, was to | comes in, it is only to spy. Ishould think you be the finest thing of the kind ever seen; and | had had enough of bim, She had a singular air of doubt about her, as with reason; for Diana frowned as sbe retorted: ‘*T don’t believe he isa doctor at all, If he elep. A coward like that the man who had been engaged as over- | him is no use atany time. If he comes, I leave seer was a “real English nobleman,” by which they understood a gorgeous creature, an ear! or duke or something of the sort—who would drop his ‘‘h’s” in the style that some Ameri. | cans think inevitable in Evgland, and end in making some T»xan girl a duchess or countess, or something of the sort; for on this the ideas of the young ladies were hazy, but rosy-tinted, The sudden arrival of their father, after such a severe accident, from the machinations of this very English lord, was a sbock to all the ideas that they bad formed, and the fact that they had no male relative io the house, and no one to depend on but the illiterate cowboys, was an additional blow to the unfortunate girls, left in doub’ as to whether their father wus not fatally injured, The nearest doctor was at Satanstown, the county seat, twenty miles off; and, as the judge did not recover his senses after he came home, one of the men was sent off at a gallop to fetch him while the giris hung over the couch ou which toe old man had been laid, pending the coming of the doctor. Diana, usually the most resolute of the two, was on this occasion the one who broke down most completely, while the gentler Helen bore up the best, and did what could be done, around the coach, to cool the sufferer’s head, with an idea that the trouble was there, e fact was, that toe judge had received a concussion of the brain, and the measures adopt- ed by Helen were the only ones the best doctor could bave adopted in the case. The old man bad gone into a muttering de- lirium, and lay on the bed, moving his head from side to side, in a way that showed the paio he felt there, while the visions that. passed through his brain were of round-ups and the ordinary incidents of ranch life. _ It was while in this condition, that a gentle tap was heard at the door, and when -Helen went there tu see what was the matter, she found one of the cowboys who rejoiced in the rich name of ‘‘ Shorty,” from bis brief stature,’ waiting outside. Please, miss,” he said, with: the respect shown by Texans to a white woman, under all circumstances, ‘*‘there’s a gentleman wants to see the jedge, says he’s a doctor. It’s the gen- tleman as was hyar, when the fa!l ronnd up was held, miss; name of Field, miss.” nt faint fli “pi: color wane into Paging xs of young —a very pretty face by the by— when she heard the hame. Tom Field the year before had been at her father’s round-up when be was fresh from the East, in appren to the cattle trade. He had attracted attention from the fact that he was the only man of education ever seen in Satan county, save her father; and the acquaintance = bt bave been one of serious results, had it been found out that the young man had no money. — Money is as potent in Texas as any where else; and the man who would be respected even as a cowboy, if it was thought be had money to in- vest, was scorned when it appeared that he had none, - He had been much liked at first, but had been regarded as not possessing the peces- sary pluck for a Texan, when it was found that be declined to be n into a quar- any of the numerous ranchers of the neighborhood, who were suitors for the hand of Miss Helen, and resented the fact of a ‘*mere cowboy” presuming to be accomplished and agreeable, when he had not a penny in the world to bless himself with. Punch Burleson had tried to quarrel with him in more than cne way; Deaf Smith hed called him a “ darned lankhead;”’ the * colonel” had giver him to understand that ‘‘men from the East were not welcome in Texas, unless they kept their places,” and the result had been that the handsome and inoffensive young man, who bad been bired to work at thé Collingsworth Ranch, bad suddenly disappeared ee the ought, And now be bad come back to the ranch, at the very time when be was most needed, with the the room,” Helen, usually the gentle and timid one, set ber Jips togetber with an expression of resola- tion, not common with ber, as she answered; *T take the responsibility. 1 know more of him than youdo. You are prejudiced, Sup- pose that tather dies before the other doctor comes; bow stculd we ever forgive ourselves for letting a cbanee go of saving him? I am going to «]! him in.” Diana Gailingsworth tossed. her head. Even in the extremity of her fear and grief for ber father, the preju‘tices that bad been implanted in her by early education made her obstinate, and she answered: ‘*As you please, I suppose the man can do something; but as soon as the other doctor comes, I shall insist on his dismissal and payment. Father would never forgive us, if he knew that we had let that man into the bouse. How has he dared to come here, atty way?” Bat Helen bad not heard the last words; for she had already left the room, and was on her way to the parlor below, where the. young stranger from the distant ranch of the Mave- rick-Hunters was waiting for her, and as soon as he saw ber, his face flushed with pleasure, as he said: “This is indeed kind, Miss Collingsworth, I heard of the accident, and ventured to come over, for I knew that Dr. Horsford was away, at the medical convention at Austin, and would not be available,” Helen, now that she was in the different woman from her who defender in the sick-chamber. She, too, bad been trought up in the extreme Southern ideas about dueling: and whén the former cowboy, whom every one had Kaown to be a gentieman by education, had refused to take up the challenges which bad been showered on bim by his rivals, a year before, she bad had a severe struggle with herself, from the fact that he had already secured a hold on her heart by his grace and refinement, and the shock to her of finding him, as she supposed, a coward, was all the more severe, = “_t It was in a very haughty tone, that she an- ar My sist ir, is decided] posed t y sister, sir, is decidedly op to my allowing yon to have anything to do with my ey father; but 1 sbould not be justified in re- using any oe however distasteful at ordi- arlor, was a ad been bis nary times. ou will try what you can do, .you shall be well paid for your professional ser- vices,’ She looked at bim sly of her eye, as she spo , from out the corner .for she had not seen @ him for a year, and was interested in his looks When he had first come t» the ranch, he had been a tall, thin young fellow, with a pale face and languid air, who had not been much of a horseman, and knew nothieg of shooting in the omer style. | He had been the butt of the rougher ele- ments of the ranch, and bad taken it all very good-naturedly from indisposition to quar- rel, and a temperament sensitive and artistic:oa degree that bad rendered him an object of good- bumored contempt to the healthy, stout fellows | who made the working force of the ranch. He had been a favorite with the cowboys, strange to say, in spite of his inoffensive ways, on account of his uniform good-nature and the williogness be had always shown to be general letter-writer fer the crowd, when they wanted to send news to their people of their welfare. It was the ranchers who had set on him so viciously, when they found that be was ‘‘ mak- ing eyes at the judge’s daughter,” and they who had Griven him out of society into the wilder- ness, as a Maverick-Hunter. Helen Collingsworth saw, in the face and figure of t!e young man»before her, a great ep e for the better, fie had gone away, pale and thin: be bad come back strong and active, with the flush of health on his cheek. ES He smiled, as she spoke to bim so haughtily, and avuswered her, with rather ceremonious iteness: ‘‘Thank you. I did not. come here to start a that he was ‘‘a doctor.’ a ractice, 1 assure you. The case belongs to _ Helen bad been the only pve bh ang he had | Dr, Horsford. There is an etiquette in e medi- onfided anything of his past life when he bad ' cal profession that laymen do not understand. ‘es 1 have told you. a’ . tat wd . * ’ ts - e ad o ° oe - i - >A « o@ a . 4 ~ T.~s 7 ° . . The case, as far as I bave heard is one of a se- vere fall, Is the patient sensible?” Helen sbook her head sadly. The medica? composure, for it drew ber away from the past. ‘“No,” she answered. ‘He has been “deliri- ous evegsince, and lies there muttering.” “Then the quicker I go up, the better,” said Field, briskly. ‘I can do nothing till | bave seen the patient. By the by, if your sister ob- jects to my goirg in, tell her, if you please, that Dr. Horsford knows me, and that I am only attending this case till be comes back from the convention,” Then, without waiting for her, he rose and went toward ths door, as if to hurry her, and she followed him with a readiness thatsbe could bardly explain to herself, but which was really the effect of her confidence in the calm, quiet young man before her. She preceded him to the room, where Diana sat by the bedside, and, as soon as they ents red, the high-spirited Di rose up, and was about. to sweep from the chamber, as if the presence of the young man was pollution, when Helen said: ‘** Don’t go, Di. Dr. Horsford sent this gentle- man,” ' CHAPTER IX, DEAF SMITH’s VISIT. WHEN Tom Field rode away from the Col- lingsworth Ranch, he left the judge awake. but. very weak and stupid, with a splitting head- ache, ° The young ladies were reassured, when thev heard that the injury would probably pass off in a few days, during which the old man was to ) kept in a dark room, and as quiet as possi- le, Diana, who had been so haughty at first, was actually induced to give the young docior a gracious word at parting. He remained by the. bedside all night, and only left the place when the dawn and the awakening Of the patient had come simuitane- ously, with such symptoms of recovery, that his: departure was prudent, ¢ As he prepared to ride away from the ranch, Helen Collingsworth asked bim: ‘* When wi'l you be back, doctor?” She used the professional word advisedly, and he understood her, for be said: ‘*T think there will be no need, if you will do It is merely acase of shock, which will wear offin a few days. He must be Rep from excit¢ment as much as possible. It is lucky I happened to be down kere last night.” ‘How did it happen?” asked Helen, tefore she thought of what she was saying. Then she added, coloring deeply: ‘“‘T beg your pardon. Thad no right to ask. But I thought that you had—” “That I had left the State, you mean,” he answered, with a smile. ‘‘ That is atbing, Miss Collingsworth, that you will notsee, You bave an idea that I am easily driven off; but you will find that I have more perseverance than many peonse think. . Good-morning. I will come. again at sundown.” - Then be rode away in the gray light of the early dawn, and left Helen at the front door of the house, thinking what he could mean, For they hed a front door, and more thar that, at tne Collingsworth Ranch, The hcuse was the finest in the county, before the coming of the cattle COMpARY and ie judge had sunk a good portion of the a aig with which he had come to Texas, in making a place that would remind.bim a little of the home be had had in Georgia, before the war, «hen he was a plavfer and the Cherokee roses flourished round tho front porch at Cbristmas. oy The house had two stories, a broad veranca round it, with a garden in front, where tho young ladies cultivated all sorts of flowers, that were found nowhere else in Satanta county, ponesas no one else took the trouble to raise them, = * As the young lady stood there at the door, <eretng the departing horseman, she became aware that another man was coming from the direction of Deaf Smith’s ranch, and recogn zed in him the redoubtable Smith himself. Involuntarily the girl began to tremble, fer she had last seen the two together when the young man.from the East had been outrageous- ly insulted by Smith, who had hectored over bim and sent him orf, with the sentiment of the company that he was a poltroon. Was the scene té be repeated now? When this man, whom ske could not help liking for his skill and knowledge, bad almost succeeded. in obliterating the past from her mind, was she sgain to witness him show the white feather? - Jt seemed so: for, as soon as Deaf Smith saw the other coming. from the ranch, be drew up his horse across the path and waited for the oung doctor, with an air that Helen knew well. t was the regular swagger of the Texas “ bad man” whois spoiling forafigbt. gt ge Deaf Smith was a stou oe ful fellow,wbhe had the reputation of be the best ugh-and- — <i * << Tes os es. fi | Fes * ¢- * Seed 4 | ce ja? ae . a al par * < -*% + - * == ~~ \ 4 c 5 we - a rye fede, ~*~ ~ & y2s « »oe Fe . 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