Part 23 (1/2)
”If I only had a gun,” he said to himself, ”I'd risk it.”
”What is he going to do?”
The Indian was breaking off some dead twigs from the standing pines about him.
”He's going to light a fire,” replied the doctor, ”perhaps camp for the night.”
”Then,” cried the girl in an excited whisper, ”we could get him.”
The doctor smiled at her. The Indian soon had his fire going and, unrolling his blanket pack, he took thence what looked like a lump of meat, cut some strips from it and hung them from pointed sticks over the fire. He proceeded to gather some poles from the dead wood lying about.
”What now is he going to do?” inquired Moira.
”Wait,” replied the doctor.
The Indian proceeded to place the poles in order against the rock, keeping his eye on the toasting meat the while and now and again turning it before the fire. Then he began to cut branches of spruce and balsam.
”By the living Jingo!” cried the doctor, greatly excited, ”I declare he's going to camp.”
”To sleep?” said Moira.
”Yes,” replied the doctor. ”He had no sleep last night.”
”Then,” cried the girl, ”we can get him.”
The doctor gazed at her in admiration.
”You are a brick,” he said. ”How can we get him? He'd double me up like a jack-knife. Remember I only played quarter,” he added.
”No, no,” she cried quickly, ”you stay here to watch him. Let me go back for the Police.”
”I say,” cried the doctor, ”you are a wonder. There's something in that.” He thought rapidly, then said, ”No, it won't do. I can't allow you to risk it.”
”Risk? Risk what?”
A year ago the doctor would not have hesitated a moment to allow her to go, but now he thought of the roving bands of Indians and the possibility of the girl falling into their hands.
”No, Miss Cameron, it will not do.”
”But think,” she cried, ”we might get him and save Allan all the trouble and perhaps his life. You must not stop me. You cannot stop me. I am going. You wait and watch. Don't move. I can find my way.”
He seized her by the arm.
”Wait,” he said, ”let me think.”
”What danger can there be?” she pleaded. ”It is broad daylight. The road is good. I cannot possibly lose my way. I am used to riding alone among the hills at home.”
”Ah, yes, at home,” said the doctor gloomily.
”But there is no danger,” she persisted. ”I am not afraid. Besides, you cannot keep me.” She stood up among the bushes looking down at him with a face so fiercely resolved that he was constrained to say, ”By Jove! I don't believe I could. But I can go with you.”