At my turning, Apache Kid came to me out of the shadows and bent over me; but his face frightened me, for with the fever I had then on me it seemed a monstrous size, filling the whole room. I had sense enough to know from this that I was ill, and looking into that face which I knew my fever formed so hideously, I said:
"Oh, Apache Kid! It would be better to die and have done with it."
"Nonsense, man," he said. "Nonsense, man. There are so many things that you have to live for:" and he held up his left hand, the fingers seeming swollen to the size of puddings, and began counting upon them. "You have a lot of duties to perform to mankind before you can shuffle off. Shall I count some of them for you?" And he put his right forefinger to the thumb of his left hand and turned to me as though to begin; but he thought better of it, and then said he:
"I know you have a lot to do before you can shuffle off. But if you would perform these duties, you must calm yourself as best you can."
"How long have I lain here?" I asked suddenly.
"Just since morning," said he. "A mere nothing, man. After another sleep you will be better, and then we——" he paused then.
"We will do what?" I said.
"We will get out of here and away home," he said, and took my hand just as a woman might have done, and wiped my brow and kept smoothing my hair till I slept again.
From this I woke to a sound of drumming, as of thousands of pattering feet.
It was the rain on the roof. Rain trickled from it in many places, running down in pools upon the floor. The smoke hole was again covered, the fire out, but the door was open, and through it I had a glimpse of the hills, streaming with rain and mist.