“Better.”
“Much?”
“Well, just the difference of turning his eyes quickly toward a thing, instead of slowly, as at first. The doctor just told me he is able to move his head slightly, so I guess he is not to go under this trip. But he’ll never be a well man again.”
“Rather heavy on you, old fellow, that you feel bound to look after him. I can’t see the necessity of it. Why don’t you let the rest of the camp—”
But Overton had turned away and resumed his walk. Lyster stared at him in wonder for a moment and then laughed.
“All right, Rothschild,” he observed. “You know the depth of your own purse best. But, to tell the truth, you don’t act like your own responsible self to-day. You go moping around as though the other fellow’s stroke had touched you, too. You are a great fellow, Dan, to take other people’s loads on your shoulders; but it is a bad habit, and you’d better reform.”
“I will, when I have time,” returned Overton, with a grim smile. “Just now I have other things to think of. Don’t mind me.”
“I sha’n’t. I confess I don’t mind any of you very much since I saw the cheery vision of your protégée at the window—and waving her hand to me, too; the first bit of sunshine I’ve seen in camp to-day. For the average specimen I’ve run across has looked to me like you—glum.” 143
Receiving no reply whatever to this criticism, he strolled away after a smiling glance upward to ’Tana’s window. But no girlish hand waved greeting to him this time, and he comforted himself by humming, “My Love is but a Lassie Yet.” This was a mischievous endeavor to attract Overton’s attention and make him say something, even though the something should prove uncomplimentary to the warbler.
But it was a failure. Overton only thrust his hands a little deeper in his pockets as he stared after the handsome, light-hearted fellow. Of course, it would be Max to whom she would wave her hand; and he was glad somebody felt like singing, though he himself could not. His mind was too much tormented by the thoughts of those two who formed a nucleus for the hospital already contemptuously alluded to by the captain.