Zeb would always be lame from his wound, in fact this had forced him to leave the army. “The Rangers aren’t what they were,” he told Rodney, “since Morgan 260 was given another command. He was the king pin. He had a way o’ seein’ the Rangers got what belonged to ’em. They knew it, an’ thar was nothin’ they wouldn’t do for him. I mind one day he was ridin’ past whar some o’ the men were at work clearin’ a road. Two of ’em were tryin’ to roll out a big rock an’ a little squirt of a sergeant was bossin’. ‘Why don’t ye help the men?’ Morgan shouted at him. ‘I’m an officer, sir,’ says the sergeant. ‘Oh yes,’ says Morgan. ‘I didn’t think o’ that,’ an’ he jumped off his horse an’ helped the men roll out the rock.”
Rodney’s work that fall often required him to visit the prisoners’ encampment. One day, as he was passing a cabin, he heard some one call in a faint voice for help. He rushed in and found a man lying on the floor. He helped the man to his bed and as he did so saw that he was none other than his old acquaintance, the “Chevalier.”
While Allison did not feel so bitter against this man as formerly, for the reason that his recent experiences had brought him knowledge of bigger rascals than he had ever supposed this man to be, yet his feelings were far from being friendly. He nevertheless ran for the camp doctor and waited until he had declared the man out of danger for the present. Rodney heard his advice to the patient, that he keep very quiet and free from excitement, as otherwise his next attack might prove fatal.
Rodney turned back into the cabin to ask if there were anything he might do, and the look in the face 261 of the “Chevalier” startled the lad. It quickly passed, however, and the man quietly said: “Why, this is Rodney Allison, who saved my miserable existence out on the Scioto.”
“Not much of an exploit to be remembered by. You’d have shot him if I hadn’t.”
“Why, you shot the redskin in the heel and, if I correctly recall my mythology, Paris required the assistance of the god, Apollo, before he was able to hit Achilles in a like spot.”
“He only had a bow and arrow while I had one of the finest rifles in the country.”
“Anyhow, it was an act worthy of a better return, as you no doubt concluded later.”
This allusion to the gaming incident annoyed Rodney. He thought the least the fellow might do was to make no mention of that rascally affair.
“If I don’t refer to that matter I see no reason for you to do so. Of late I’ve been associated with men who think that, after you’ve rolled a man in the dirt, it isn’t necessary to rub it in.”