moved his thin lips in some kind of greeting, and Lone sat down on the
edge of a chair, feeling as miserably guilty as if he himself had
brought the old man to this pass. It seemed to him that Brit must know
more of the accident than Swan had told, and the thought did not add to
his comfort. He waited until Brit opened his eyes again, and then he
leaned forward, holding Brit's wandering glance with his own intent
gaze.

"I ain't working now," he said, lowering his voice so that Lorraine
could not hear. "So I'm going to stay here and help see you through
with this. I've quit the Sawtooth."

Brit's eyes cleared and studied Lone's face. "D'ye know--anything?"

"No, I don't." Lone's face hardened a little. "But I wanted you to
know that I'm--with the Quirt, now."

"Frank hire yuh?"

"No. I ain't hired at all. I'm just--_with_ yuh."

"We--need yuh," said Brit grimly, looking Lone straight in the eyes.

CHAPTER XIV

"FRANK'S DEAD"

"Frank come yet?" The peevish impatience of an invalid whose horizon
has narrowed to his own personal welfare and wants was in Brit's voice.
Two weeks he had been sick, and his temper had not sweetened with the
pain of his broken bones and the enforced idleness. Brit was the type
of man who is never quiet unless he is asleep or too ill to get out of
bed.

Lorraine came to the doorway and looked in at him. Two weeks had set
their mark on her also. She seemed older, quieter in her ways; there
were shadows in her eyes and a new seriousness in the set of her mouth.
She had had her burdens, and she had borne them with more patience than
many an older woman would have done, but what she thought of those
burdens she did not say.

"No, dad--but I thought I heard a wagon a little while ago. He must be
coming," she said.

"Where's Lone at?" Brit moved restlessly on the pillow and twisted his
face at the pain.

"Lone isn't back, either."

"He ain't? Where'd he go?"

Lorraine came to the bedside and, lifting Brit's head carefully,
arranged the pillow as she knew he liked it. "I don't know where he
went," she said dully. "He rode off just after dinner. Do you want
your supper now? Or would you rather wait until Frank brings the
fruit?"

"I'd ruther wait--if Frank don't take all night," Brit grumbled. "I
hope he ain't connected up with that Echo booze. If he has----"

"Oh, no, dad! Don't borrow trouble. Frank was anxious to get home as
soon as he could. He'l