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〃Wait till I get the birds back to the car；〃 he cried。
〃He…l…l…o；〃 cried his sister as he came running。 〃What； four of them？〃
〃Four；〃 he answered。 〃By jove； she's a wonder； isn't she。 She really bowls me over。〃
〃Nonsense；〃 said his sister in a low voice。 〃She's just a fine girl with a steady hand and a quick eye； and；〃 she added as Jack turned away from her； 〃a true heart。〃
〃A true heart；〃 Jack muttered to himself； 〃and given to that confounded bully of a German。 If it had been any other manbut we have got one day at least。〃 Resolutely he brushed away the thoughts that maddened him as he ran to Kathleen's side。 Meantime； Tom and Nora had gone circling around toward the left with Sweeper ranging widely before them。
〃Let's beat round this bluff；〃 suggested Kathleen。 〃They may not have left the trees yet。〃
Together they strolled away through the stubble； the girl moving with an easy grace that spoke of balanced physical strength； and with an eagerness that indicated the keen hunter's spirit。 The bluff brought no result。
〃That bluff promised chickens if ever a bluff did；〃 said Kathleen in a disappointed voice。 〃We'll get them further down； and then again in the stubble。〃
〃Cheer…o；〃 cried Jack。 〃The day is fine and we are having a ripping time； at least I am。〃
〃And I； too；〃 cried the girl。 〃I love this； the open fields；and the sport； too。〃
〃And good company；〃 said Jack boldly。
〃Yes； good company； of course；〃 she said with a quick； friendly glance。 〃And you ARE good company to…day。〃
〃To…day？〃
〃Yes。 Sometimes； you know； you are ratherI don't know what to saybut queer； as if you did not likepeople； or were carrying some terrible secret；〃 she added with a little laugh。
〃Secret？ I am； but not for long。 I am going to tell you the secret。 Do you want to hear it now？〃
The note of desperation in his voice startled the girl。 〃Oh； no；〃 she cried hurriedly。 〃Where have we got to？ There are no birds in this open prairie here。 We must get back to the stubble。〃
〃You are not interested in my secret； then？〃 said Jack。 〃But I am going to tell you all the same； Kathleen。〃
〃Oh； please don't；〃 she replied in a distressed voice。 〃We are having such a splendid time； and besides we are after birds； aren't we？ And there are the others；〃 she added； pointing across the stubble field； 〃and Sweeper is on point again。 Oh； let's run。〃 She started forward quickly； her foot caught in a tangle of vetch vine and she pitched heavily forward。 Jack sprang to catch her。 A shot crashed at their ears。 The girl lay prone。
〃My God； Kathleen； are you hurt？〃 said Jack。
〃No； no； not a bit； but awfully scared；〃 she panted。 Then she shrieked； 〃Oh； oh； oh； Jack； you are wounded； you are bleeding！〃
He looked down at his hand。 It was dripping blood。 〃Oh； oh；〃 she moaned； covering her face with her hands。 Then springing to her feet； she caught up his hand in hers。
〃It is nothing at all；〃 he said。 〃I feel nothing。 Only a bit of skin。 See；〃 he cried； lifting his arm up。 〃There's nothing to it。 No broken bones。〃
〃Let me see； JackMr。 Romayne；〃 she said with white lips。
〃Say 'Jack；'〃 he begged。
〃Let me take off your coatJack； then。 I know a little about this。 I have done something at it in Winnipeg。〃
Together they removed the coat。 The shirt sleeve was hanging in a tangled； bloody mass from the arm。
〃Awful！〃 groaned Kathleen。 〃Sit down。〃
〃Oh； nonsense； it is not serious。〃
〃Sit down； Jack； dear；〃 she entreated； clasping her hands about his sound arm。
〃Say it again；〃 said Jack。
〃Oh； Jack； won't you sit down； please？〃
〃Say it again；〃 he commanded sternly。
〃Oh； Jack； dear； please sit down；〃 she cried in a pitiful voice。
He sat down； then lay back reclining on his arm。 〃Now your knife； Jack；〃 she said； feeling hurriedly through his pockets。
〃Here you are；〃 he said； handing her the knife； biting his lips the while and fighting back a feeling of faintness。
Quickly slipping behind him； she whipped off her white petticoat and tore it into strips。 Then cutting the bloody shirt sleeve； she laid bare the arm。 The wound was superficial。 The shot had torn a wide gash little deeper than the skin from wrist to shoulder； with here and there a bite into the flesh。 Swiftly； deftly； with fingers that never fumbled； she bandaged the arm； putting in little pads where the blood seemed to be pumping freely。
〃That's fine；〃 said Jack。 〃You are a brick； Kathleen。 I thinkI willjust lie downa bit。 I feelrather rotten。〃 As he spoke he caught hold of her arm to steady himself。 She caught him in her arms and eased him down upon the stubble。 With eyes closed and a face that looked like death he lay quite still。
〃Jack；〃 she cried aloud in her terror。 〃Don't faint。 You must not faint。〃
But white and ghastly he lay unconscious； the blood still welling right through the bandages on his wounded arm。 She knew that in some way she must stop the bleeding。 Swiftly she undid the bandages and found a pumping artery in the forearm。 〃What is it that they do？〃 she said to herself。 Then she remembered。 Making a tourniquet； she applied it to the upper arm。 Then rolling up a bloody bandage into a pad； she laid it upon the pumping artery and bound it firmly down into place。 Then flexing the forearm hard upon it； she bandaged all securely again。 Still the wounded man lay unconscious。 The girl was terrified。 She placed her hand over his heart。 It was beating but very faintly。 In the agony and terror of the moment as in a flash of light her heart stood suddenly wide open to her； and the thing that for the past months had lain hidden within her deeper than her consciousness； a secret joy and pain； leaped strong and full into the open； and she knew that this man who lay bleeding and ghastly before her was dearer to her than her own life。 The sudden rush of this consciousness sweeping like a flood over her soul broke down and carried away the barrier of her maidenly reserve。 Leaning over him in a passion of self…abandonment； she breathed； 〃Oh； Jack； dear； dear Jack。〃 As he lay there white and still； into her love there came a maternal tender yearning of pity。 She lifted his head in her arm； and murmured brokenly； 〃Oh； my love； my dear love。〃 She kissed him on his white lips。
At the touch of her lips Jack opened his eyes； gazed at her for a moment； then with dawning recognition； he said with a faint smile； 〃Doitagain。〃
〃Oh； you heard；〃 she cried； the red blood flooding face and neck； 〃but I don't care； only don't go off again。 You will not； Jack； you must not。〃
〃NoI won't；〃 he said。 〃It's rottenof meto actlike this andscare youto death。 Give mea littletime。 I will beall right。〃
〃If they would only come！ If I could only do something！〃
〃You're all rightKathleen。 Just bepatient with mea bit。 I am feelingbetter every minute。〃
For a few moments he lay quiet。 Then with a little smile he looked up at her again and said； 〃I would go off again just to hear you say those words once more。〃
〃Oh； please don't；〃 she entreated； hiding her face。
〃Forgive me； Kathleen； I am a beast。 Forget it。 I am feeling all right。 I believe I could sit up。〃
〃No； no； no；〃 she cried。 〃Lie a little longer。〃
She laid his head down； ran a hundred yards to the wheat field； returning with two sheeves； and made a support for his head and shoulders。 〃That is better；〃 she said。
〃Good work；〃 he said。 〃Now I am going to be fit for anything in a few moments。 But；〃 he added； 〃you look rather badly； as if you might faint yourself。〃
〃I？ What difference does it make how I look？ I am quite right。 If they would only come！ I know what I will do；〃 she cried。 〃Where are your cartridges？〃 She loaded the gun and fired in quick succession half a dozen shots。 〃I think I see them；〃 she exclaimed； 〃but I am not sure that they heard me。〃 Again she fired several shots。
〃Don't worry about it；〃 said Jack； into whose face the colour was beginning to come back。 〃They are sure to look us up。 Just sit down； won't you please； beside me here？ There； that's good；〃 he continued； taking her hand。 〃Kathleen；〃 he cried； 〃I think you know my secret。〃
〃Oh； no； no； please don't；〃 she implored； withdrawing her hand and hiding her face from him。 〃Please don't be hard on me。 I really do not know what I am doing and I am feeling dreadfully。〃
〃You have reason to feel so； Kathleen。 You have been splendidly brave； and I give you my word I am not going to worry you。〃
〃Oh； thank you； you are so good； and I love you for it；〃 she cried in a passion of gratitude。 〃You understand； don't you？〃
〃I think I do；〃 he said。 〃By the way； do you know I think I could smoke。〃
〃Oh； splendid！〃 she cried； and； springing up； she searched through his coat pockets； found pipe； pouch； matches； and soon he had his pipe going。 〃There； that looks more like living；〃 said Kathleen； laughing somewhat hysterically。 〃Oh； you did frighten me！〃 Again the red flush came into her face and she turned away from him。
〃There they are coming。 Sure enough； they are coming；〃 she cried with a sob in her voice。
〃Steady； Kathleen；〃 said Jack quietly。 〃You won't blow up now； will you？ You have been so splend