“Will—will he live? Oh, tell me!”
“Live! Why shouldn't he?—nothing but a hole to close up—nature'll do that, with a bit of nursing—here, now, don't you keel over—give me the rest of that skirt.”
He bandaged the wound, then glanced about suddenly.
“How's the other fellow?”
“Dead,” returned Bristoe, “shot through the heart.”
“Thought so—have seen Keith shoot before—I wonder how the cuss ever managed to get him.”
As he arose to his feet, his red face glistening with perspiration, and began strapping his leather case, the others rode up, and Bristoe, explaining the situation, set the men to making preparations for pushing on to the water-hole. Blankets were swung between ponies, and the bodies of the dead and wounded deposited therein, firm hands on the bridles. Hope rode close beside Keith, struggling to keep back the tears, as she watched him lying motionless, unconscious, scarcely breathing. So, under the early glow of the desert stars, they came to the water-hole, and halted.
The wounded man opened his eyes, and looked about him unable to comprehend. At first all was dark, silent; then he saw the stars overhead, and a breath of air fanned the near-by fire, the ruddy glow of flame flashing across his face. He heard voices faintly, and thus, little by little, consciousness asserted itself and memory struggled back into his bewildered brain. The desert—the lonely leagues of sand—his fingers gripped as if they felt the stock of a gun—yet that was all over—he was not there—but he was somewhere—and alive, alive. It hurt him to move, to breathe even, and after one effort to turn over, he lay perfectly still, staring up into the black arch of sky, endeavoring to think, to understand—where was he? How had he come there? Was Hawley alive also? A face bent over him, the features faintly visible in the flash of firelight. His dull eyes lit up in sudden recollection.
“Doc! is that you?”
“Sure, old man,” the pudgy fingers feeling his pulse, the gray eyes twinkling. “Narrow squeak you had—going to pull through all right, though—no sign of fever.”