"
Since her visitor appears to be an honest man, Jess tells him that her
father has gone to town--all the other men being away--to get ice for
her sick sister. Steve is greatly touched by the sight of the sick
child, and he suddenly remembers a cave in the foothills where there
is ice buried beneath the rock and gravel. He gets a spare horse from
the stable, and taking a couple of large saddle-bags goes to the cave,
procures the ice, and returns to the ranch house. After Steve has
placed ice-caps on Norma's head, Jess accidentally knocks the medicine
bottle to the floor, breaking it and spilling the contents. Realizing
the absolute necessity of having the medicine, Steve determines to
ride to the doctor and tell him to take or send some more; but
realizing also that he will be arrested the moment he is seen in town,
he tells Jess who he is. She is astounded, but, unable to forget what
he has already done for her, she tells him not to go--she will risk
waiting until the return of her father, who can then go. But Steve
declares that he will go, as delay may endanger the child's life. Upon
his arrival at the doctor's, he is seized and dragged to the sheriff's
office, but not before he has delivered his message to the physician.
Dr. Turner rides to the ranch with the medicine, and Jess, feeling
intuitively that harm will come to the man who has done so much for
them, begs the doctor to ride back to protect him from the mob which,
the doctor tells her, has more than once threatened to take the law
into its own hands if Steve should be captured.
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