ted,
thunderstruck, on the threshold.

Dicksie's hand disappeared in her handkerchief. McCloud had been in
wrecks before, and gathered himself together unmoved. "What is it,
Rooney?"

The very calmness of the two at the table disconcerted the despatcher.
He held the message in his hand and shuffled his feet. "Give me your
despatch," said McCloud impatiently.

Quite unable to take his hollow eyes off Dicksie, poor Rooney
advanced, handed the telegram to McCloud, and beat an awkward
retreat.

McCloud devoured the words of the message at a glance.

"Ah!" he cried, "this is from Gordon himself, sent from Sleepy Cat. He
must be safe and unhurt! Listen:

"Three of the Tower W men trailed into Williams Cache. In
resisting arrest this morning, Du Sang was wounded and is
dying to-night. Two prisoners, Karg and Seagrue. G. S.

"Those are Gordon's initials; it is the signature over which he
telegraphs me. You see, this was sent last night long after Blake
left. He is safe; I will stake my life on it."

Dicksie sank back while McCloud re-read the message. "Oh, isn't that a
relief?" she exclaimed. "But how can it be? I can't understand it at
all; but he _is_ safe, isn't he? I was heartbroken when I heard he was
killed. Marion ought to know of this," she said, rising. "I am going
to tell her."

"And may I come over after I tell Rooney Lee to repeat this to
headquarters?"

"Why, of course, if you want to."

When McCloud reached the cottage Dicksie met him. "Katie Dancing's
mother is sick, and she has gone home. Poor Marion is all alone this
morning, and half dead with a sick headache," said Dicksie. "But I
told her, and she said she shouldn't mind the headache now at all."

"But what are you going to do?"

"I am going to get dinner; do you want to help?"

"I'm going to help."

"Oh, you are? That would be very funny."

"Funny or not, I'm going to help."

"You would only be in the way."

"You don't know whether I should or not."

"I know _I_ should do much better if you would go back and run the
railroad a few minutes."

"The railroad be hanged. I am for dinner."

"But I will get dinner for you."

"You need not. I can get it for myself."

"You are perfectly absurd, and if we stand here disputing, Marion
won't have anything to eat."

They went into the kitchen disputing about what should be cooked. At
the end of an hour they had two fires going--one in the stove and one
in Dicksie's cheeks.