boys had broken from their ranks and were flying in every
direction. Young Joe, staggering behind them, was almost hidden by a jet
of flame that seemed to spring from one of the pockets of his coat. The
boy was just opposite the Blue Goose. Before Firmstone could spur his
horse to the screaming child Elise darted down the steps, seized the boy
with one hand, with the other tore the flames from his coat and threw
them far out on the trail. Firmstone knew what had happened. The miner
had left some sticks of powder in his coat and these had caught fire
from the lighted candle. The flames from the burning powder had scorched
the boy's hand, licked across his face, and the coat itself had begun to
burn, when Elise reached him. She was stripping the coat from the
screaming boy as Firmstone sprang from his horse. He took the boy in his
arms and carried him up the steps of the Blue Goose. Elise, running up
the steps before him, reappeared with oil and bandages, as he laid the
boy on one of the tables. Pierre and Morrison came into the bar-room as
Firmstone and Elise began to dress the burns. Morrison laid his hand
roughly on Firmstone's arm.

"You get back to your own. This is our crowd."

"Git hout! You bin kip-still." Pierre in turn thrust Morrison aside.
"You bin got hall you want, Meestaire Firmstone?"

"Take my horse and go for the doctor."

Pierre hastily left the room. The clatter of hoofs showed that
Firmstone's order had been obeyed. Elise and Firmstone worked busily at
the little sufferer. Oil and laudanum had deadened the pain, and the boy
was now sobbing hysterically; Morrison standing by, glaring in helpless
rage.

Another clatter of hoofs outside, and Pierre and the company surgeon
hurried into the room. The boy's moans were stilled and he lay staring
questioningly with large eyes at the surgeon.

"You haven't left me anything to do." The surgeon turned approvingly to
Elise.

"Mr. Firmstone did that."

The surgeon laughed.

"That's Elise every time. She's always laying the blame on someone else.
Never got her to own up to anything of this kind in my life."

Joe senior and his wife came breathless into the room. Mrs. Joe threw
herself on the boy with all the abandon of the genuine Latin. Joe looked
at Elise, then dragged his wife aside.

"The boy's all right now, Joe. You can take him home. I'll be in to see
him later." The surgeon turned to leave the room.

Joe never stirred; only looked at Elise.