ut careful inventory of his friend's
appearance, his shaven face, his clean hands, his new clothing.

"How's your wife, Sim?" he said, grinning.

"That lady, she's all right. Left her paring spuds. And I want to say
to you, Wid, while I'm away from there, everybody else stays away too."

"What, not get to see the bride? That ain't very friendly, seems to
me."

"Well, what I said goes."

"You're a jealous sort of bridegroom?" said Wid, laughing openly.

The dull color of Sim's face showed the anger in his heart. "That
lady, she's there at my house," said he, "and she's going to be left
alone there. She's sort of shy. This country's plumb new to her."

"But honest, Sim"--and his neighbor's curiosity now was apparent--"what
sort of a looker is she?"

"Prettier'n a spotted pup!" said Sim succinctly.

"She like the country pretty well?"

"Says it's the prettiest she ever seen," replied Sim. "That's what she
said."

"And you owe all this to me, come to simmer it down."

"I ain't simmering nothing down," said Sim. "Here's your gate. Down
there is mine. Don't none of you go in there until I tell you it's
time, that's all."

"Well, I dunno as I care to," replied Wid.

"Better not," said Sim Gage. "I ain't a-going to have that girl
bothered by nobody. Of course, you and me both knows we ain't married,
and won't never be. It was a housekeeper I was after, and I got one,
and a damn good one. But I don't want her bothered by no one fer a
while. I've played this game on the level with her so far, anyways,
and I allow to play it that way all the way through."

"But now," he added, wincing with pain, "let's cut out all this sort of
thing. I believe I got to get to a doctor."

"I'll tell you," said Wid Gardner, "I'll hitch up and take you down to
the doctor at the big dam, twenty-five miles below. He's taking care
of all the laborers down there--they're always getting into accidents;
dynamite, you know. He's got to be a good doctor. I'll take you down."

"Wid," said Sim, "I wish't you would. I don't believe I'll go back
home first. She'll be all right there alone, won't she?"

Wid still smiled at him understandingly. "Jealousest man I ever did
see! Well, have it your own way. It'll take just so much time
anyway--if we get back by nine or ten o'clock to-night we'll be lucky.
She'll have to begin sometime to get used to things."

CHAPTER XI

THE COMPANY DOCTOR

The Two Forks, below