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husband's； inalienable under the 〃Married Woman's Property Act；〃
and subject during her life only to her own control and personal
responsibilities as a trader。
The intense disgust and discomfiture of her parents； who had
expected to more actively participate in their brother's fortune；
may be imagined。 But it was not equal to their fury when
Josephine； instead of providing for them a separate maintenance out
of her abundance； simply offered to transfer them and her brother
to her own house on a domestic but not a business equality。 There
being no alternative but their former precarious shiftless life in
their 〃played…out〃 claim in the valley； they wisely consented；
reserving the sacred right of daily protest and objurgation。 In
the economy of Burnt Ridge Ranch they alone took it upon themselves
to represent the shattered domestic altar and its outraged Lares
and Penates。 And so conscientiously did they perform their task as
even occasionally to impede the business visitor to the ranch； and
to cause some of the more practical neighbors seriously to doubt
the young girl's commercial wisdom。 But she was firm。 Whether she
thought her parents a necessity of respectable domesticity； or
whether she regarded their presence in the light of a penitential
atonement for some previous disregard of them； no one knew。 Public
opinion inclined to the latter。
The black line of ridge faded out with her abstraction； and she
turned from the window and lit the lamp on her desk。 The yellow
light illuminated her face and figure。 In their womanly graces
there was no trace of what some people believed to be a masculine
character； except a singularly frank look of critical inquiry and
patient attention in her dark eyes。 Her long brown hair was
somewhat rigidly twisted into a knot on the top of her head； as if
more for security than ornament。 Brown was also the prevailing
tint of her eyebrows； thickly…set eyelashes； and eyes； and was even
suggested in the slight sallowness of her complexion。 But her lips
were well…cut and fresh…colored and her hands and feet small and
finely formed。 She would have passed for a pretty girl； had she
not suggested something more。
She sat down； and began to examine a pile of papers before her with
that concentration and attention to detail which was characteristic
of her eyes； pausing at times with prettily knit brows； and her
penholder between her lips； in the semblance of a pout that was
pleasant enough to see。 Suddenly the rattle of hoofs and wheels
struck her with the sense of something forgotten； and she put down
her work quickly and stood up listening。 The sound of rough voices
and her father's querulous accents was broken upon by a cultivated
and more familiar utterance： 〃All right； I'll speak to her at once。
Wait there；〃 and the door opened to the well…known physician of
Burnt Ridge； Dr。 Duchesne。
〃Look here；〃 he said； with an abruptness that was only saved from
being brusque by a softer intonation and a reassuring smile； 〃I met
Miguel helping an accident into your buggy。 Your orders； eh？〃
〃Oh； yes；〃 said Josephine； quietly。 〃A man I saw on the road。〃
〃Well； it's a bad case； and wants prompt attention。 And as your
house is the nearest I came with him here。〃
Certainly；〃 she said gravely。 〃Take him to the second room beyond
Steve's roomit's ready；〃 she explained to two dusky shadows in
the hall behind the doctor。
〃And look here；〃 said the doctor； partly closing the door behind
him and regarding her with critical eyes； 〃you always said you'd
like to see some of my queer cases。 Well； this is onea serious
one； too； in fact； it's just touch and go with him。 There's a
piece of the bone pressing on the brain no bigger than that； but as
much as if all Burnt Ridge was atop of him！ I'm going to lift it。
I want somebody here to stand by； some one who can lend a hand with
a sponge； eh？some one who isn't going to faint or scream； or even
shake a hair's…breadth； eh？〃
The color rose quickly to the girl's cheek； and her eyes kindled。
〃I'll come；〃 she said thoughtfully。 〃Who is he？〃
The doctor stared slightly at the unessential query。 〃Don't know；
one of the river miners； I reckon。 It's an urgent case。 I'll go
and get everything ready。 You'd better；〃 he added； with an ominous
glance at her gray frock； 〃put something over your dress。〃 The
suggestion made her grave； but did not alter her color。
A moment later she entered the room。 It was the one that had
always been set apart for her brother： the very bed on which the
unconscious man lay had been arranged that morning with her own
hands。 Something of this passed through her mind as she saw that
the doctor had wheeled it beneath the strong light in the centre of
the room； stripped its outer coverings with professional
thoughtfulness； and rearranged the mattresses。 But it did not seem
like the same room。 There was a pungent odor in the air from some
freshly…opened phial； an almost feminine neatness and luxury in an
open morocco case like a jewel box on the table； shining with
spotless steel。 At the head of the bed one of her own servants；
the powerful mill foreman； was assisting with the mingled curiosity
and blase experience of one accustomed to smashed and lacerated
digits。 At first she did not look at the central unconscious
figure on the bed； whose sufferings seemed to her to have been
vicariously transferred to the concerned； eager； and drawn faces
that looked down upon its immunity。 Then she femininely recoiled
before the bared white neck and shoulders displayed above the
quilt； until； forcing herself to look upon the face half…concealed
by bandages and the head from which the dark tangles of hair had
been ruthlessly sheared； she began to share the doctor's unconcern
in his personality。 What mattered who or what HE was？ It wasa
case！
The operation began。 With the same earnest intelligence that she
had previously shown； she quickly and noiselessly obeyed the
doctor's whispered orders； and even half anticipated them。 She was
conscious of a singular curiosity that； far from being mean or
ignoble； seemed to lift her not only above the ordinary weaknesses
of her own sex； but made her superior to the men around her。
Almost before she knew it； the operation was over； and she regarded
with equal curiosity the ostentatious solicitude with which the
doctor seemed to be wiping his fateful instrument that bore an odd
resemblance to a silver…handled centre…bit。 The stertorous
breathing below the bandages had given way to a fainter but more
natural respiration。 There was a moment of suspense。 The doctor's
hand left the pulse and lifted the closed eyelid of the sufferer。
A slight movement passed over the figure。 The sluggish face had
cleared； life seemed to struggle back into it before even the dull
eyes participated in the glow。 Dr。 Duchesne with a sudden gesture
waved aside his companions； but not before Josephine had bent her
head eagerly forward。
〃He is coming to；〃 she said。
At the sound of that deep clear voicethe first to break the hush
of the roomthe dull eyes leaped up； and the head turned in its
direction。 The lips moved and uttered a single rapid sentence。
The girl recoiled。
〃You're all right now；〃 said the doctor； cheerfully； intent only
upon the form before him。
The lips moved again； but this time feebly and vacantly； the eyes
were staring vaguely around。
〃What's matter？ What's all about？〃 said the man； thickly。
〃You've had a fall。 Think a moment。 Where do you live？〃
Again the lips moved； but this time only to emit a confused；
incoherent murmur。 Dr。 Duchesne looked grave； but recovered
himself quickly。
〃That will do。 Leave him alone now；〃 he said brusquely to the
others。
But Josephine lingered。
〃He spoke well enough just now；〃 she said eagerly。 〃Did you hear
what he said？〃
〃Not exactly；〃 said the doctor； abstractedly； gazing at the man。
〃He said； 'You'll have to kill me first；'〃 said Josephine； slowly。
〃Humph；〃 said the doctor； passing his hand backwards and forwards
before the man's eyes to note any change in the staring pupils。
〃Yes；〃 continued Josephine； gravely。 〃I suppose；〃 she added；
cautiously； 〃he was thinking of the operationof what you had just
done to him？〃
〃What I had done to him？ Oh； yes！〃
CHAPTER II
Before noon the next day it was known throughout Burnt Ridge Valley
that Dr。 Duchesne had performed a difficult operation upon an
unknown man； who had been picked up unconscious from a fall； and
carried to Burnt Ridge Ranch。 But although the unfortunate man's
life was saved by the operation； he had only momentarily recovered
consciousnessrelapsing into a semi…idiotic state； which
effectively stopped the discovery of any clue to his friends or his
identity。 As it was evidently an