“Donotsquanderyourstrength，“saidshe。
“Oh，Icouldputupaprettygoodfightnow！“Buthetotteredinshowingherhowstronghewas，andshetoldhimthat，afterall，hewasachildstill。
“Yes，“heslowlysaid，lookingafterherasshewenttobringhishorse，“thesamechildthatwantedtotouchthemoon，Iguess。“
Andduringtheslowclimbdownintothesaddlefromarocktowhichshehelpedhimhesaid，“Youhavegottobethemanallthroughthismess。“
Shesawhisteethclinchedandhisdroopingmusclescompelledbywill；andasherodeandshewalkedtolendhimsupport，leadingherhorsebyabackward-stretchedlefthand，shecountedoffthedistancetohimcontinually——theincreasinggain，thelesseningroad，thelandmarksnearinganddroppingbehind；herewasthetreewiththewasp-nestgone；nowtheburnedcabinwaspassed；
nowthecottonwoodsatthefordwereinsight。Hewassilent，andheldtothesaddlehorn，leaningmoreandmoreagainsthistwohandsclaspedoverit；andjustaftertheyhadmadethecrossinghefell，withoutasodslippingtothegrass，andhisdescentbrokenbyher。Butitstartedthebloodalittle，andshedarednotleavehimtoseekhelp。Shegavehimthelastoftheflaskandallthewaterhecraved。
Revived，hemanagedtosmile。“Yu’see，Iain’tworthkeeping。“
“It’sonlyamile，“saidshe。Soshefoundalog，afallentrunk，andhecrawledtothat，andfromtherecrawledtohissaddle，andshemarchedonwithhim，talking，biddinghimnotethestepsaccomplished。Forthenexthalf-miletheywentthus，thesilentmanclinchedonthehorse，andbyhissidethegirlwalkingandcheeringhimforward，whensuddenlyhebegantospeak:-“Iwillsaygood-bytoyounow，ma’am。“
Shedidnotunderstand，atfirst，thesignificanceofthis。
“Heisgettingaway，“pursuedtheVirginian。“Imustaskyoutoexcuseme，ma’am。“
Itwasalongwhilesinceherlordhadaddressedheras“ma’am。“
Asshelookedathimingrowingapprehension，heturnedMonteandwouldhaveriddenaway，butshecaughtthebridle。
“Youmusttakemehome，“saidshe，withreadyinspiration。“IamafraidoftheIndians。“
“Why，you——why，they’veallgone。Therehegoes。Ma’am——thathawss——“
“No，“saidshe，holdingfirmlyhisreinandquickeningherstep。
“Agentlemandoesnotinvitealadytogooutridingandleaveher。“
Hiseyeslosttheirpurpose。“I’llcert’nlytakeyouhome。Thatsorrelhasgoneintherebythewallow，andJudgeHenrywillunderstand。“Withhiseyeswatchingimaginaryobjects，herodeandrambledanditwasnowthegirlwhowassilent，excepttokeephismindfromitshalf-fixedideaofthesorrel。Ashegrewmorefluentshehastenedstillmore，listeningtoheadoffthatnotionofreturn，skilfullyinventingquestionstoengagehim，sothatwhenshebroughthimtohergatesheheldhiminamannersubjected，answeringfaithfullytheshrewdunrealitieswhichshedevised，whatevermakeshiftsshecouldsummontohermind；andnextshehadgothiminsideherdwellingandsethimdowndocile，butnowcompletelywandering；andthen——nohelpwasathand，evenhere。Shehadmadesureofaidfromnextdoor，andthereshehastened，tofindtheTaylor’scabinlockedandsilent；andthismeantthatparentsandchildrenweregonetodrive；normightshebeluckierathernextnearestneighbors’，shouldshetraveltheinterveningmiletofetchthem。Withamindjostledoncemoreintouncertainty，shereturnedtoherroom，andsawachangeinhimalready。Illnesshadstriddenuponhim；hisfacewasnotasshehadleftit，andthewholebody，thesplendidsupplehorseman，showedsicknessineverylineandlimb，itsspursandpistolandboldleatherchapsamockeryoftrappings。Shelookedathim，anddecisioncamebacktoher，clearandsteady。Shesupportedhimovertoherbedandlaidhimonit。Hisheadsankflat，andhisloose，nervelessarmsstayedassheleftthem。Thenamongherpacking-boxesandbeneaththelittleminiature，blueandflaxenandgolduponitslonelywall，sheundressedhim。Hewascold，andshecoveredhimtotheface，andarrangedthepillow，andgotfromitsboxherscarletandblackNavajoblanketandspreaditoverhim。Therewasnomorethatshecoulddo，andshesatdownbyhimtowait。Amongthemanyandmanythingsthatcameintohermindwasawordhesaidtoherlightlyalongwhileago。“Cow-punchersdonotlivelongenoughtogetold，“hehadtoldher。Andnowshelookedattheheaduponthepillow，graveandstrong，butstilltheheadofsplendid，unwornyouth。
Atthedistantjingleofthewagoninthelaneshewasout，andhadmetherreturningneighborsmidway。Theyheardherwithamazement，andcameinhastetothebedside；thenTaylordepartedtospreadnewsoftheIndiansandbringthedoctor，twenty-fivemilesaway。Thetwowomenfriendsstoodaloneagain，astheyhadstoodinthemorningwhenangerhadbeenbetweenthem。
“Kissme，deary，“saidMrs。Taylor。“NowIwilllookafterhim——andyou’llneedsomelookingafteryourself。“
Butonreturningfromhercabinwithwhatstoreshepossessedoflintandstimulants，sheencounteredarebel，independentasever。Mollywouldhearnotalkaboutsavingherstrength，wouldnotbeinanyroombutthisoneuntilthedoctorshouldarrive；
thenperhapsitwouldbetimetothinkaboutresting。Sotogetherthedameandthegirlrinsedtheman’swoundandwrappedhimincleanthings，anddidallthelittlethattheyknew——whichwas，intruth，theverythingneeded。Thentheysatwatchinghimtossandmutter。ItwasnolongeruponIndiansorthesorrelhorsethathistalkseemedtorun，oranythingrecent，apparently，alwaysexceptinghiswork。Thisflowinglymergedwithwhateverscenehewasinventingorlivingagain，andhewanderedunendinglyinthatincompatibleworldwedreamin。Throughthemedleyofeventsandnames，oftenthicklyspoken，butrisingattimestogrotesquecoherence，thelistenersnowandthencouldpieceoutthereferencefromtheirownknowledge。“Monte，“forexample，continuallyaddressed，andMollyheardherownname，butinvariablyas“MissWood“；nothinglessrespectfulcameout，andfrequentlyheansweredsomeoneas“ma’am。“AtthesefragmentsofrevelationMrs。Taylorabstainedfromspeech，buteyedMollyWoodwithcausticreproach。Asthenightworeon，shortlullsofsilenceintervened，andthewatchersweredeceivedintohopethatthefeverwasabating。AndwhentheVirginiansatquietlyupinbed，essayedtomovehisbandage，andlookedsteadilyatMrs。
Taylor，sherosequicklyandwenttohimwithaquestionastohowhewasdoing。
“Riseonyourlaigs，youpolecat，“saidhe，“andtellthemyou’realiar。“
Thegooddamegasped，thenbadehimliedown，andheobeyedherwiththatstrangedoubleunderstandingofthedelirious；forevenwhilesubmitting，hemuttered“liar，““polecat，“andthen“Trampas。“
AtthatnamelightflashedonMrs。Taylor，andsheturnedtoMolly；andtherewasthegirlstrugglingwithafitofmirthathisspeech；butthelaughterwasfastbecomingapainfulseizure。
Mrs。TaylorwalkedMollyupanddown，speakingmmediatelytoarrestherattention。
“Youmightaswellknowit，“shesaid。“Hewouldblamemeforspeakingofit，butwhere’stheharmallthiswhileafter？Andyouwouldneverhearitfromhismouth。Molly，child，theysayTrampaswouldkillhimifhedared，andthat’sonaccountofyou。“
“IneversawTrampas，“saidMolly，fixinghereyesuponthespeaker。
“No，deary。Butbeforealotofmen——Taylorhastoldmeaboutit——Trampasspokedisrespectfullyofyou，andbeforethemallhemadeTrampassayhewasaliar。Thatiswhathedidwhenyouwerealmostastrangeramongus，andhehadnotstartedseeingsomuchofyou。IexpectTrampasistheonlyenemyheeverhadinthiscountry。Buthewouldneverletyouknowaboutthat。“
“No，“whisperedMolly；“Ididnotknow。“
“Steve！“thesickmannowcriedout，inpoignantappeal。“Steve！“
Tothewomenitwasanameunknown，——unknownaswasalsothisdeepinwardtideoffeelingwhichhecouldnolongerconceal，beinghimselfnolonger。“No，Steve，“hesaidnext，andmutteringfollowed。“Itain’tso！“heshouted；andthencunninglyinaloweredvoice，“Steve，Ihaveliedforyou。“
IntimeMrs。Taylorspokesomeadvice。
“Youhadbettergotobed，child。Youlookaboutreadyforthedoctoryourself。“
“ThenIwillwaitforhim，“saidMolly。
Sothetwonursescontinuedtosituntildarknessatthewindowsweakenedintogray，andthelampwasnomoreneeded。Theirpatientwasramblingagain。Yet，intowhateversceneshewent，thereinsomeguisedidthethrobofhispainevidentlyfollowhim，andhelayhitchinghisgreatshoulderasiftoriditofthecumbrance。Theywaitedforthedoctor，notdaringmuchmorethantoturnpillowsandgivewhatothereasetheycould；andthen，insteadofthedoctor，cameamessenger，aboutnoon，tosayhewasgoneonavisitsomethirtymilesbeyond，whereTaylorhadfollowedtobringhimhereassoonasmightbe。AtthisMollyconsentedtorestandtowatch，turnabout；andonceshewasoverinherfriend’shouselyingdown，theytriedtokeepherthere。
Buttherevolutionistcouldnotbeputdown，andwhen，asalastpretext，Mrs。Taylorurgedtheproprietiesandconventions，thepalegirlfromVermontlaughedsweetlynherfaceandreturnedtositbythesickman。Withtheapproachofthesecondnighthisfeverseemedtoriseandmasterhimmorecompletelythantheyhadyetseenit，andpresentlyitsoragedthatthewomencalledinstrongerarmstoholdhimdown。Thereweretimeswhenhebrokeoutinthelanguageoftheround-up，andMrs。Taylorrenewedherprotests。“Why，“saidMolly“don’tyousupposeIknewtheycouldswear？“Sothedame，indeepeningastonishmentandaffection，gaveuptheseshiftsatdecorum。Nordidthedeliriumrunintotheintimate，coarsemattersthatshedreaded。Thecow-puncherhadlivedlikehiskind，buthisnaturaldailythoughtswereclean，andcamefromtheuntamedbutunstainedmindofaman。Andtowardmorning，asMrs。Taylorsattakingherturn，suddenlyheaskedhadhebeensicklong，andlookedatherwithaquietedeye。Thewanderingseemedtodropfromhimatastroke，leavinghimaltogetherhimself。Helayveryfeeble，andinquiredonceortwiceofhisstateandhowhecamehere；norwasanythingleftinhismemoryofevencomingtothespringwherehehadbeenfound。
Whenthedoctorarrived，hepronouncedthatitwouldbelong——orveryshort。Hepraisedtheircleanwatertreatment；thewoundwasfortunatelywellupontheshoulder，andgavesofarnobadsigns；therewerenotanybadsigns；andthebloodandstrengthofthepatienthadbeenasfewmen’swere；eachhourwasnowanhournearercertainty，andmeanwhile——meanwhilethedoctorwouldremainaslongashecould。Hehadmanyinquiriestosatisfy。
Dustyfellowswouldrideup，listentohim，andreply，astheyrodeaway，“Don’tyu’lethimdie，Doc。“AndJudgeHenrysentoverfromSunkCreektoanswerforanyattendanceormedicinethatmighthelphisforeman。Thecountrywasmovedwithconcernandinterest；andinMolly’searsitswordsofgoodfeelingseemedtouniteandsumupaburden，“Dontyu’lethimdie，Doc。“TheIndianswhohaddonethiswerenowinmilitarycustody。
Theyhadcomeunpermittedfromasouthernreservation，hunting，nextthieving，andastheslumberingspiritrousedinoneortwooftheyoungandambitious，theyhadventuredthisinthesecretmountains，andperhapshadkilledatrapperfoundthere。Editorsimmediatelyrearedatallwaroutofit；butfromfiveIndiansinaguard-housewaitingpunishmentnotevenaneditorcansupplysparformorethantwoeditions，andiftherecentalarmwasstillamatteroftalkanywhere，itwasnothereinthesick-roomWhicheverwaythecaseshouldturn，itwasthroughMollyalone(thedoctortoldher)thatthewoundedmanhadgotthischance——thisgoodchance，herelocated。
Andhetoldhershehadnotdoneawoman’spart，butaman’spart，andnowhadnomoretodo；nomoretillthepatientgotwell，andcouldthankherinhisownway，saidthedoctor，smiling，andsupposingthingsthatwerenotso——misledperhapsbyMrs。Taylor。
“I’mafraidI’llbegonebythetimeheiswell，“saidMolly，coldly；andthediscreetphysiciansaidah，andthatshewouldfindBenningtonquiteachangefromBearCreek。
