t
Stark stood unhurt, and more composed than any of them; following the
first bound from his chair, he had relapsed into his customary quiet.
There had blazed up one momentary flash of suspicion and anger, but it
died straightway, for no man could have beheld the trader and not felt
contrition. His condition was pitiable, and the sight of a strong man
overcome is not pleasant; when it was seen that no harm had been done
the others strove to make light of the accident.

"Get together, all of you! It's nothing to be excited over," said Stark.

"How did it happen?" Runnion finally asked Gale, who had sunk limply
upon the edge of the bunk; but when the old man undertook to answer his
words were unintelligible, and he shook his head helplessly.

Stark laid his finger on the hole that the bullet had bored in the log
close to where he was sitting, and laughed.

"Never mind, old man, it missed me by six inches. You know there never
was a bullet that could kill me. I'm six-shooter proof."

"Wha'd I tell you?" triumphantly ejaculated Lee, turning his one eye
upon the Lieutenant. "You laughed at me, didn't you?"

"I'm beginning to believe it myself," declared the soldier.

"It's a cinch," said Stark, positively,

Doret, of all in the cabin, had said nothing. Seated apart from the
others, he had seen the affair from a distance, as it were, and now
stepped to the bed to lay his hand on Gale's shoulder.

"Brace up, John! Sacre bleu! Your face look lak' flour. Come outside
an' get li'l' air."

"It will do you good, father," urged Necia.

The trader silently rose, picked up his hat, and shambled out into the
night behind the Frenchman.

"The old man takes it hard," said Lee, shaking his head, and Burrell
remarked:

"I've seen things like that in army quarters, and the fellow who
accidentally discharges his gun invariably gets a greater shock than
his companion."

"I call it damned careless, begging your pardon, Miss Necia," said
Runnion.

Poleon led his friend down the trail for half a mile without speaking,
till Gale had regained a grip of himself and muttered, finally:

"I never did such a thing before, Poleon, never in all my life."

The young man turned squarely and faced him, the starlight illumining
their faces dimly.

"Why?" said Doret.

"Why?" echoed Gale, with a start. "Well, because I'm careful, I
suppose."

"Why?" insisted the Frenchman.

"I--I--I--What do you mean?"

"Don' lie wit' me, John. I'