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promptly。 〃I can attend to both。〃
The master lifted the boy tenderly in his arms。 Johnny； stimulated
by the prospect of a free ride； became feebly interested in his
fellow sufferer。
〃Did Theth hit him bad？〃 he asked。
〃Seth？〃 echoed the master； wildly。
〃Yeth。 I theed him when he took aim。〃
The master did not reply； but the next moment Johnny felt himself
clasped in his arms in the saddle before him； borne like a
whirlwind in the direction of the McKinstry ranch。
CHAPTER XIV。
They found the wounded man lying in the front room upon a rudely
extemporized couch of bear…skins； he having sternly declined the
effeminacy of his wife's bedroom。 In the possibility of a fatal
termination to his wound； and in obedience to a grim frontier
tradition； he had also refused to have his boots removed in order
that he might 〃die with them on；〃 as became his ancestral custom。
Johnny was therefore speedily made comfortable in the McKinstry
bed； while Dr。 Duchesne gave his whole attention to his more
serious patient。 The master glanced hurriedly around for Mrs。
McKinstry。 She was not only absent from the room； but there seemed
to be no suggestion of her presence in the house。 To his greater
surprise the hurried inquiry that rose to his lips was checked by a
significant warning from the attendant。 He sat down beside the now
sleeping boy； and awaited the doctor's return with his mind
wandering between the condition of the little sufferer and the
singular revelation that had momentarily escaped his childish lips。
If Johnny had actually seen Seth fire at McKinstry； the latter's
mysterious wound was accounted forbut not Seth's motive。 The act
was so utterly incomprehensible and inconsistent with Seth's avowed
hatred of the master that the boy must have been delirious。
He was roused by the entrance of the surgeon。 〃It's not so bad as
I thought；〃 he said； with a reassuring nod。 〃It was a mighty close
shave between a shattered bone and a severed artery； but we've got
the ball； and he'll pull through in a week。 By Jove！ thoughthe
old fire…eater was more concerned about finding the ball than
living or dying！ Go in therehe wants to see you。 Don't let him
talk too much。 He's called in a lot of his friends for some reason
or otherand there's a regular mass…meeting in there。 Go in； and
get rid of 'em。 I'll look after baby Filgeethough the little
chap will be all right again after another dressing。〃
The master cast a hurried look of relief at the surgeon； and re…
entered the front room。 It was filled with men whom the master
instinctively recognized as his former adversaries。 But they gave
way before him with a certain rude respect and half abashed
sympathy as McKinstry called him to his side。 The wounded man
grasped his hand。 〃Lift me up a bit；〃 he whispered。 The master
assisted him with difficulty to his elbow。
〃Gentlemen！〃 said McKinstry； with a characteristic wave of his
crippled hand towards the crowd as he laid the other on the
master's shoulder。 〃Ye heerd me talkin' a minit ago； ye heer me
now。 This yer young man as we've slipped up on and meskalkilated
has told the truthevery time！ Ye ken tie to him whenever and
wherever ye want to。 Ye ain't expected to feel ez I feel； in
course； but the man ez goes back on HIMquo'lls with me。 That's
alland thanks for inquiring friends。 Ye'll git now； boys； and
leave him a minit with me。〃
The men filed slowly out； a few lingering long enough to shake the
master's hand with grave earnestness； or half smiling； half abashed
embarrassment。 The master received the proffered reconciliation of
these men； who but a few hours before would have lynched him with
equal sincerity； with cold bewilderment。 As the door closed on the
last of the party he turned to McKinstry。 The wounded man had sunk
down again； but was regarding with drowsy satisfaction a leaden
bullet he was holding between his finger and thumb。
〃This yer shot； Mr。 Ford；〃 he said in a slow voice； whose weakness
was only indicated by its extreme deliberation； 〃never kem from the
gun I gave yeand was never fired by you。〃 He paused and then
added with his old dull abstraction； 〃It's a long time since I've
run agin anythin' that makes me feel morekam。〃
In Mr。 McKinstry's weak condition the master did not dare to make
Johnny's revelation known to him； and contented himself by simply
pressing his hand； but the next moment the wounded man resumed；
〃That ball jest fits Seth's navy revolverand the hound hes made
tracks outer the country。〃
〃But what motive could he have in attacking YOU at such a time？〃
asked the master。
〃He reckoned that either I'd kill you and so he'd got shut of us
both in that way； without it being noticed； or if I missed you； the
others would hang YOUez they kalkilated tofor killing ME！ The
idea kem to him when he overheard you hintin' you wouldn't return
my fire。〃
A shuddering conviction that McKinstry had divined the real truth
passed over the master。 In the impulse of the moment he again
would have corroborated it by revealing Johnny's story； but a
glance at the growing feverishness of the wounded man checked his
utterance。 〃Don't talk of it now；〃 he said hurriedly。 〃Enough for
me to know that you acquit ME。 I am here now only to beg you to
compose yourself until the doctor comes backas you seemed to be
alone； and Mrs。 McKinstry〃he stopped in awkward embarrassment。
A singular confusion overspread the invalid's face。 〃She hed
steppt out afore this happened； owin' to contrairy opinions betwixt
me and her。 Ye mout hev noticed； Mr。 Ford； that gin'rally she
didn't 'pear to cotton to ye！ Thar ain't a woman a goin' ez is the
ekal of Blair Rawlins' darter in nussin' a man and keeping him in
fightin' order； but in matters like things that consarn herself and
Cress； I begin to think； Mr。 Ford； that somehow； she ain't exakly
kam！ Bein' kam yourself； ye'll put any unpleasantness down to
that。 Wotever you hear from HER； and； for the matter o' that； from
her own darter toofor I'm takin' back the foolishness I said to
ye over yon about your runnin' off with Cressyou'll remember； Mr。
Ford； it warn't from no ill feeling to YOU； in her or Cressbut
on'y a want of kam！ I mout hev had MY idees about Cress； you mout
hev had YOURS； and that fool Dabney mout hev had HIS； but it warn't
the old woman'snor Cressy'sit warn't Blair Rawlins' darter's
ideanor yet HER darter's！ And why？ For want o' kam！ Times I
reckon it was left out o' woman's nater。 And bein' kam yourself；
you understand it； and take it all in。〃
The old look of drowsy pain had settled so strongly in his red eyes
again that the master was fain to put his hand gently over them；
and with a faint smile beg him to compose himself to sleep。 This
he finally did after a whispered suggestion that he himself was
feeling 〃more kam。〃 The master sat for some moments with his hand
upon the sleeping man's eyes； and a vague and undefinable sense of
loneliness seemed to fall upon him from the empty rafters of the
silent and deserted house。 The rising wind moaned fitfully around
its bleak shell with the despairing sound of far and forever
receding voices。 So strong was the impression that when the doctor
and McKinstry's attending brother re…entered the room； the master
still lingered beside the bed with a dazed sensation of abandonment
that the doctor's practical reassuring smile could hardly dispel。
〃He's doing splendidly now；〃 he said； listening to the sleeper's
more regular respiration： 〃and I'd advise you to go now； Mr。 Ford；
before he wakes； lest he might be tempted to excite himself by
talking to you again。 He's really quite out of danger now。 Good…
night！ I'll drop in on you at the hotel when I return。〃
The master； albeit still confused and bewildered； felt his way to
the door and out into the open night。 The wind was still
despairingly wrestling with the tree…tops； but the far receding
voices seemed to be growing fainter in the distance； until； as he
passed on； they too seemed to pass away forever。
。 。 。 。 。 。
Monday morning had come again； and the master was at his desk in
the school house early； with a still damp and inky copy of the Star
fresh from the press before him。 The free breath of the pines was
blowing in the window； and bringing to his ears the distant voices
of his slowly gathering flock； as he read as follows：
〃The perpetrator of the dastardly outrage at the Indian Spring
Academy on Thursday lastwhich； through unfortunate
misrepresentation of the facts； led to a premature calling out of
several of our most public…spirited citizens； and culminated in a
most regrettable encounter between Mr。 McKinstry and the
accomplished and estimable principal of the schoolhas； we regret
to say； escaped condign punishment b