come out?"

"I imagine so," said Charnock thoughtfully. "Still she doesn't know much
about nursing."

"His wife is the proper person to look after him," Kerr interposed.
"Then I have a young fellow in the rail gang who could help; found him
useful once or twice when the boys got hurt. In fact, I suspect he's had
some medical training, though I didn't ask why he quit."

Norton smiled. It is not unusual to find men whose professional career
has been cut short working on a Western track.

"That simplifies matters. If you had wanted a lawyer or an accountant, I
could have sent a man. However, there's another thing--"

"There is; it's important," Kerr agreed. "Who's going to carry on the
contract?"

Charnock leaned forward eagerly. "I'll try. Give me a chance. I think I
know my job."

There was silence for a few moments and Norton looked at Kerr, who
slowly filled his pipe.

"I'd like to consent," he said, "but I'm the Company's servant and
there's a risk." He paused and turned to Norton. "However, it's really
your business. If things go wrong, the trouble's coming to you first."

"Sure. I'm willing to take the risk. I don't expect Charnock will fool
the job, but if he does you can get after me. I'll stand for it."

"Very well! We'll let it go at that."

Charnock got up, with some color in his bandaged face, because he knew
what Norton's confidence meant. He was, so to speak, an unknown man
and the contract had been given to Festing, who was an engineer. If he
failed, the men who trusted him would be held accountable.

"Thank you both," he said with feeling. "If labor and money can put the
thing over, I won't let you down."

He went out, for he had, in his anxiety about other matters, forgotten
his men, and it was now important that no time, which must be paid for,
should be wasted. Finding some of the gang at work clearing away the
fallen material and some hauling lumber on the hill, he gave them a
few orders and returned to the shack. When he got there Festing was
conscious and the doctor said he might speak to him.

"How do you feel?" Charnock asked.

"Better than the doctor thinks I ought to feel," Festing answered with a
feeble smile. "You seem to have got knocked about!"

Charnock said he was not much the worse, and Festing resumed: "Have you
seen Norton? What does he say about the contract?"

"I have seen him; you needn't bother. He has left the job to me; I'll
finish it somehow."

A look of rel