The Patrol of the Sun Dance Trail [36]
unpardonable in the men under his own command was that of failure and his failure to capture old Copperhead thus delivered into his hands galled him terribly.
"Well, good-night, Cameron," said the Superintendent, looking out into the black night. "We shall let you know to-morrow the result of our scouting, though I don't expect much from it. He is much too clever to be caught in the open in this country."
"Perhaps he'll skidoo," said Dr. Martin hopefully.
"No, he's not that kind," replied the Superintendent. "You can't scare him out. You have got to catch him or kill him."
"I think you are right, sir," said Cameron. "He will stay till his work is done or till he is made to quit."
"That is true, Cameron--till he is made to quit--and that's your job," said the Superintendent solemnly.
"Yes, that is my job, sir," replied Cameron simply and with equal solemnity. "I shall do my best."
"We have every confidence in you, Cameron," replied the Superintendent. "Good-night," he said again, shutting the door.
"Say, old man, this is too gruesome," said Martin with fierce impatience. "I can't see why it's up to you more than any other."
"The Sun Dance Trail is the trail he must take to do his work. That was my patrol last year--I know it best. God knows I don't want this--" his breath came quick--"I am not afraid--but--but there's-- We have been together for such a little while, you know." He could get no farther for a moment or two, then added quietly, "But somehow I know--yes and she knows--bless her brave heart--it is my job. I must stay with it."
CHAPTER VIII
THE GIRL ON NO. 1.
By the time they had reached the hotel Cameron was glad enough to go to his bed.
"You need not tell your wife, I suppose," said the doctor.
"Tell her? Certainly!" said Cameron. "She is with me in this. I play fair with her. Don't you fear, she is up to it."
And so she was, and, though her face grew white as she listened to the tale, never for a moment did her courage falter.
"Doctor, is Allan all right? Tell me," she said, her big blue eyes holding his in a steady gaze.
"Right enough, but he must have a long sleep. You must not let him stir at five."
"Then," said Mandy, "I shall go to meet the train, Allan."
"But you don't know Moira."
"No, but I shall find her out."
"Of course," said Dr. Martin in a deprecating tone, "I know Miss Cameron, but--"
"Of course you do," cried Mandy. "Why, that is splendid! You will go and Allan need not be disturbed. She will understand. Not a word, now, Allan. We will look after this, the doctor and I, eh, Doctor?"
"Why--eh--yes--yes certainly, of course. Why not?"
"Why not, indeed?" echoed Mandy briskly. "She will understand."
And thus it was arranged. Under the influence of a powder left by Dr. Martin, Cameron, after an hour's tossing, fell into a heavy sleep.
"I am so glad you are here," said Mandy to the doctor, as he looked in upon her. "You are sure there is no injury?"
"No, nothing serious. Shock, that's all. A day's quiet will fix him up."
"I am so thankful," said Mandy, heaving a deep sigh of relief, "and I am so glad that you are here. And it is so nice that you know Moira."
"You are not going to the train?" said the doctor.
"No, no, there is no need, and I don't like to leave him. Besides you don't need me."
"N-o-o, no, not at all--certainly not," said the doctor with growing confidence. "Good-night. I shall show her to her room."
"Oh," cried Mandy, "I shall meet you when you come. Thank you so much. So glad you are here," she added with a tremulous smile.
The doctor passed down the stairs.
"By Jove, she's a brick!" he said to himself. "She has about all she can stand just now. Glad I am here, eh? Well, I guess I am too. But what about this thing? It's up to me now to do the Wild West welcome act, and I'm scared--plain scared to death. She won't know me from a goat. Let's see. I've got two hours yet to work up my ginger. I'll have a pipe to start with."
He passed
"Well, good-night, Cameron," said the Superintendent, looking out into the black night. "We shall let you know to-morrow the result of our scouting, though I don't expect much from it. He is much too clever to be caught in the open in this country."
"Perhaps he'll skidoo," said Dr. Martin hopefully.
"No, he's not that kind," replied the Superintendent. "You can't scare him out. You have got to catch him or kill him."
"I think you are right, sir," said Cameron. "He will stay till his work is done or till he is made to quit."
"That is true, Cameron--till he is made to quit--and that's your job," said the Superintendent solemnly.
"Yes, that is my job, sir," replied Cameron simply and with equal solemnity. "I shall do my best."
"We have every confidence in you, Cameron," replied the Superintendent. "Good-night," he said again, shutting the door.
"Say, old man, this is too gruesome," said Martin with fierce impatience. "I can't see why it's up to you more than any other."
"The Sun Dance Trail is the trail he must take to do his work. That was my patrol last year--I know it best. God knows I don't want this--" his breath came quick--"I am not afraid--but--but there's-- We have been together for such a little while, you know." He could get no farther for a moment or two, then added quietly, "But somehow I know--yes and she knows--bless her brave heart--it is my job. I must stay with it."
CHAPTER VIII
THE GIRL ON NO. 1.
By the time they had reached the hotel Cameron was glad enough to go to his bed.
"You need not tell your wife, I suppose," said the doctor.
"Tell her? Certainly!" said Cameron. "She is with me in this. I play fair with her. Don't you fear, she is up to it."
And so she was, and, though her face grew white as she listened to the tale, never for a moment did her courage falter.
"Doctor, is Allan all right? Tell me," she said, her big blue eyes holding his in a steady gaze.
"Right enough, but he must have a long sleep. You must not let him stir at five."
"Then," said Mandy, "I shall go to meet the train, Allan."
"But you don't know Moira."
"No, but I shall find her out."
"Of course," said Dr. Martin in a deprecating tone, "I know Miss Cameron, but--"
"Of course you do," cried Mandy. "Why, that is splendid! You will go and Allan need not be disturbed. She will understand. Not a word, now, Allan. We will look after this, the doctor and I, eh, Doctor?"
"Why--eh--yes--yes certainly, of course. Why not?"
"Why not, indeed?" echoed Mandy briskly. "She will understand."
And thus it was arranged. Under the influence of a powder left by Dr. Martin, Cameron, after an hour's tossing, fell into a heavy sleep.
"I am so glad you are here," said Mandy to the doctor, as he looked in upon her. "You are sure there is no injury?"
"No, nothing serious. Shock, that's all. A day's quiet will fix him up."
"I am so thankful," said Mandy, heaving a deep sigh of relief, "and I am so glad that you are here. And it is so nice that you know Moira."
"You are not going to the train?" said the doctor.
"No, no, there is no need, and I don't like to leave him. Besides you don't need me."
"N-o-o, no, not at all--certainly not," said the doctor with growing confidence. "Good-night. I shall show her to her room."
"Oh," cried Mandy, "I shall meet you when you come. Thank you so much. So glad you are here," she added with a tremulous smile.
The doctor passed down the stairs.
"By Jove, she's a brick!" he said to himself. "She has about all she can stand just now. Glad I am here, eh? Well, I guess I am too. But what about this thing? It's up to me now to do the Wild West welcome act, and I'm scared--plain scared to death. She won't know me from a goat. Let's see. I've got two hours yet to work up my ginger. I'll have a pipe to start with."
He passed