“In soul, yes!” was the answer.
“I’m glad of that,” replied the corporal simply.
“It’s like a cleansing to have a good woman’s approval. You can’t know, Roger, old boy. You haven’t been deep in the mire—but there it is.”
He allowed his cousin and Joy to examine his wound, and they found the arrow broken off in his side. The corporal looked at the girl and shook his head. There was little to be done, except draw out the arrow, and bandage the wound as well as they could, and when that was done the injured man was visibly weaker.
Corporal Bracknell busied himself with the preparation of a meal, leaving Joy and his cousin together, and not till after the meal when Dick was dozing had he any opportunity of further speech with Joy. Then walking in the shadow of the trees he talked with her.
“Dick has told me why you came,” he said, going straight to his point. “I am very grateful.”
“I was afraid that there might be trouble between you,” she answered frankly.
“We had already met twice, before you came,” he explained quietly. “On the first occasion Dick spared my life; and on the second, though the meeting began stormily enough, we parted complete friends.”
“I am glad of that, more glad than I can tell.”
“Not more than I am. But there are things I want to ask you, very badly. I know how you came to go to Dick’s cabin, but I do not know who those men were who kept both Dick and you there in a state of siege. Have you any idea?”