ast
words that were disconnected and meaningless. Slowly, nearly tenderly,
Pat touched a hand that felt burning hot and a forehead that was moist
and clammy. Then he turned to the girl again.

"Well, I must say I'm sorry," he acknowledged. "Looks to me like he
was done for. What are ye goin' to do for him? We--we didn't reckon to
find nothin' like this when we come, though Papineau told us he were
sick."

"Mr. Papineau's errand was to telegraph for the doctor," she replied,
with a hand pressed to her bosom. "At--at first, when I heard you
coming, I thought he had perhaps arrived and--and that you were
intending to take him away. Do--do you really think he's going to
die?"

"Well, I'm scared it looks a good deal that way. Of course we might be
able to take him in the sleigh, but--but he don't look much as if he
could stand the trip--does he?--an'--an' I don't reckon we can do much
good stayin' round here either."

He stepped over to the door and opened it.

"That gal's right," he said. "Hugo looks desperate sick."

"Sure it ain't nothin' that's ketchin', are ye?" asked his wife,
drawing back a little.

"I didn't never hear that pistol bullets was contagious," he
answered.

"But who did it?" cried McIntosh. "And--and how d'ye know 'twas just
an accident. Seems to me we'd ought to find out something more about
it. It--it don't sound just natural."

"I tell you he was shot by accident. I did it, God forgive me,"
faltered Madge.

Sophy McGurn, at this, pushed her way forward until she stood in front
of Madge, and pointed an accusing finger at her. Her eyes were
flashing. To Maigan her move seemed a threatening one and she recoiled
as the animal crouched a little, with fangs bare and lips slavering.

"Hold him, miss, hold him quick!" cried Aleck Mclntosh. "Git back
there, Sophy, what's the matter with ye? D'ye want to be torn to
pieces? What's that ye was goin' to say?"

"She--she never shot him by accident! She--she did it on purpose, for
revenge, that's what she did, the she-devil!"

She was still standing before Madge and her voice was shaking with
excitement, while her arms and hands trembled with her passion.

"What's all that?" cried Pat Kilrea. "Ye wasn't here to see, was ye?
How d'ye know she done it a-purpose, for revenge? Ye must have some
reason for sayin' such things. Out with 'em!"

But now Sophy was shrinking back, afraid of her own outburst, fearing
that she might have revealed something. H