“‘You’ll come back to Spyglass Mountain, Madge, ’cause ye’re big like th’ great-hearted trees. Yes, you’ll come back to Spyglass Mountain, dear.’
“An’ th’ doc says,” Bill concluded, “that Tony won’t pull through if ye don’t come back. He’s dyin’—seems—don’t care to live. I got one o’ them buckin’ broncho taxi-things down in th’ street, rarin’ an’ snortin’ to go, Madge. Train leaves f’r Spur in forty minutes by this here ole watch o’ mine. Connects with th’ stage to Ragtown. I’ll trot down an’ throw a little muck-a-muck into me while ye’re puttin’ on yer hat an’ things. Be waitin’ f’r ye on th’ sidewalk, Madge.”
Another week had passed. In the little pine hospital at Ragtown Cole of Spyglass Mountain lay on a neat white bed, and a girl with bronze-gold hair bent over him. Dr. J. Miles Stanhope moved about shakily, drunk as usual, but with kindliness written all over his features. Also the doctor from Spur was there; and at one side sat California Bill.
The silent, bandaged figure moved on the bed and softly moaned. The doctor from Spur nodded to Madge, who bent down lower and began once more the words which she had repeated a hundred times since she reached the hospital. And as had been the case each time before, the hot tears wet her cheeks.
“I’ve come back, Joshua! Joshua—it’s Madge speaking to you. Oh, Joshua, I’ve come back to you! It’s Madge—Shanty Madge. Listen, Joshua—I’ve come back to you. Shanty Madge is back! I’ve come back to Spyglass Mountain!”
And now, for the first time in all those tense days, the dark-gray eyes opened wide and stared up into the Spanish-topaz eyes above them. Then, shaking like an aspen, Shanty Madge bent low and whispered:
“I’ve come back to you, Joshua—back to Spyglass Mountain!”
A moment longer the puzzled gray-blue eyes studied the wet face of the girl, and the blended pink and tan of the Pocahontas cheeks brought recognition. Madge bent lower still and kissed the broad smooth forehead. A childlike smile crossed Joshua’s clean-cut lips.
“Then,” said his voice, very faint, “I’ll—I guess I’ll get well, after all.”
Five days later the stage from Spur arrived, and Bill left Madge and Joshua, now fully conscious and on the mend—according to the doctor—while he went to the post office for the mail. He hurried back presently, a sheaf of yellow envelopes in his hand.