at's blamed fast travelling."

He disappeared into the darkness, and the girl went back to the ranch.
It was, perhaps, significant that she should feel sure that the man
she had sent for would obey the summons, but she grew anxious while
the two hours slipped by. At last, a man opened the door and walked
in, with the water dripping from the long outer garment he flung off.
He was a young man, with a bronzed face and keen grey eyes, and he had
swung the axe, as one could see by his lithe carriage and the hardness
of his hands, but there was something professional in his manner as he
stooped down, regarding Nasmyth closely while he gripped the
stranger's wrist. Then he turned to the girl.

"He's very sick," Gordon said. "Guess you have no objections to my
putting him in your father's bunk. First, we'll warm the blankets."

The girl rose to help him, and--for she was strong--they stripped off
most of Nasmyth's garments and lifted him into the bunk in the next
room. Then Gordon sent her for the blankets, and, when he had wrapped
them round Nasmyth, he sat down and looked at her.

"Pneumonia," he said. "Anyway, in the meanwhile, I'll figure on it as
that, though there's what one might call a general physical collapse
as well. Where did he come from?"

"I don't know," said the girl.

"Your father won't be back for a week?"

"It's scarcely likely."

The man appeared to reflect for a moment or two. Then he made a little
expressive gesture.

"Well," he said, "it's up to us to do what we can. First thing's a
poultice. I'll show you how to fix it; but while we're here, I guess
we might as well run through his things."

"Is that needful?" and the girl glanced at Nasmyth compassionately.

"Well," said the man with an air of reflection, "it might be. This
thing's quick. Leaves you or wipes you out right away. There's very
little strength in him."

He turned out the pockets of Nasmyth's clothes, which were, however,
empty of anything that might disclose his identity.

"Not a scrap of paper, not a dollar; but I guess that wasn't always
the case with him--you can see it by his face," he said. Then he
laughed. "He's probably like a good many more of us--not very anxious
to let folks know where he came from."

The girl, though he did not notice it, winced at this; but next moment
he touched her shoulder.

"Get some water on," he said. "After we've made the poultice, I'll
take charge of him. We may get Mrs. Custer round