“No, I’m going to get up,” she said, with grim decision; and when Lyster offered his hand to help her, she took it, and, standing erect, looked around at the couch. 265
“That is the last time I’m going to be thrown on you for any such fool cause,” she said, whimsically. “Who toted me in here—you?”
“I? Not a bit of it,” confessed Lyster. “Dan reached you before any of the others knew you were ill. He carried you up here.”
“He? Oh!” and she shivered a little. “I want to talk to Harris. Max, come with me.”
He went wonderingly, for he could see she was excited and nervous. Her hand trembled as it touched his, but her mouth was set so firmly over the little white teeth that he knew it was better to humor her than fret her by persuading her to rest.
But once beside Harris, she sat a long time in silence, looking out from the doorway across the level now active with the men of the works. Not until the two cousins had walked across to their other shelter did she speak, and then it was to Harris.
“Joe, I am sick,” she confessed; “not sick with the fever, but heartsick and headsick. You know how and maybe why.”
He nodded his head, and looked at Lyster questioningly.
“And I’ve come in here to tell you something. Max, you won’t mind. He can’t talk, but knows me better than you do, I guess; for I’ve come to him before when I was troubled, and I want to tell him what you said to me in the boat.”
Max stared at her, but silently agreed when he saw she was in earnest. He even reached out his hand to take hers, but she drew away.