caled the height
in search of the fugitives whom Munoz thought more than likely must be
there, and Jose had agreed with him. Once well up among the rocks of
the Mazatzal, after sunrise, these valued allies became bewildered and
gave out, were handed a canteen and ration of crackers apiece and left
to limp back to the shack, while Turner pushed on. They were at the
store, recuperating, when his people reappeared at Almy, and each had
derisive and uncomplimentary things to say of the other. Moreover,
there was internal dissension among the Mexicans themselves. Dago's
disgust with Munoz seemed rekindled, while the sore-headed trio, done
out of their money by aid of mescal, were slinking about the shack,
looking unutterable things. When rogues fall out honest men profit, if
they are wise and wakeful, and now, at a time when something of
advantage might be learned, the interest of the garrison seemed centred
about the general's quarters, whither Harold Willett had been borne,
still senseless and in desperate case. Bentley could not say that he
would live, yet had been heard to say he believed the bullet not yet
cast that could kill him.

There had been a difference between Archer and his surgeon. The shack
was no place for a patient in such a plight. It was on low ground, hot
and stuffy in spite of high ceilings. Bentley wished him borne on
elastic litter to hospital. Archer said bear him to his quarters, Mrs.
Archer _would_ have it, and it was so ordered and done. Bentley wished
to find that bullet, the blunt, old-fashioned, soft lead plug, and find
it he had, lying fortunately close under the skin, after traversing
several inches of Willett's anatomy without piercing a vital organ. It
was cut out with little time or trouble, and set aside, sealed for
future reference. Fever, of course, set in, and where, asked Archer,
could more devoted nurse or nurses be found, and, in the absence of the
patient's own mother, what woman had better right?

It wasn't so much _that_, said poor Bentley, as that they might overdo
it--wear themselves out, and the patient, too. Willett was babbling in
feverish delirium when his litter was borne into the general's dark
hallway, and the patient thence to the white cot prepared for him,
where Mrs. Archer and Mrs. Stannard at first were installed as nurses.
Bentley shook his head over the arrangement, and later he spoke of it
to Harris who sat thoughtful, troubled and ill at ease.

Bentley had to