"Was he not lying there beside me,—dead?" I asked.
"Hush! There was no one near you; but the place looked as if a herd of buffalo had thundered over it."
I was puzzled, but I tried to laugh and the attempt hurt me.
"How did you get me here?" I interrupted.
"Now!" she said, "if you speak again, I will tell you nothing.
"I ran home for blankets. I got two poles and fixed the blankets to these. I rolled you over on to my improvised stretcher and trailed you here, Indian fashion. It was easy as easy. Mrs. Malmsbury was abed and I did not wish to disturb her just then. Later, when I got you here, she helped me to put you to bed.
"Oh! I am so glad that man did not murder you."
"But it would not have been murder, Mary," I put in. "It was a fair fight."
"But why should two, strong, clean-living young men want to fight? Don't answer me, George," she added quickly, "for I am merely cogitating. Men seem such strange animals to us women."
I smiled.