The Patrol of the Sun Dance Trail Part 59

"Oh, well, I don't tell my plans to all the world," said the doctor with a careless laugh.

The girl shrank from him as if he had cut her with his riding whip. But, swiftly recovering herself, she cried with gay reproach:

"Why, Mr. Smith, we are losing all our friends at once. It is cruel of you and Dr. Martin to desert us at the same time. Mr. Smith, you know," she continued, turning to the doctor with an air of exaggerated vivacity, "leaves for the East to-night too."

"Smith--leaving?" The doctor gazed stupidly at that person.

"Yes, you know he has come into a big fortune and is going to be--"

"A fortune?"

"Yes, and he is going East to be married."

"Going EAST to be married?"

"Yes, and I was--"

"Going EAST?" exclaimed the doctor. "I don't understand. I thought you--"

"Oh, yes, his young lady is awaiting him in the East. And he is going to spend his money in such a splendid way."

"Going EAST?" echoed the doctor, as if he could not fix the idea with sufficient firmness in his brain to grasp it fully.

"Yes, I have just told you so," replied the girl.

"Married?" shouted the doctor, suddenly rushing at Smith and gripping him by both arms. "Smith, you shy dog--you lucky dog! Let me wish you joy, old man. By Jove! You deserve your luck, every bit of it. Say, that's fine. Ha! ha! Jeerupiter! Smith, you are a good one and a sly one. Shake again, old man. Say, by Jove! What a sell--I mean what a joke! Look here, Smith, old chap, would you mind taking Pepper home?

I am rather tired--riding, I mean--beastly wild cows--no end of a run after them. See you down at the house later. No, no, don't wait, don't mind me. I am all right, fit as a fiddle--no, not a bit tired--I mean I am tired riding. Yes, rather stiff--about the knees, you know. Oh, it's all right. Up you get, old man--there you are! So, Smith, you are going to be married, eh? Lucky dog! Tell 'em I am--tell 'em we are coming. My horse? Oh, well, never mind my horse till I come myself. So long, old chap! Ha! ha! old man, good-by. Great Caesar! What a sell! Say, let's sit down, Moira," he said, suddenly growing quiet and turning to the girl, "till I get my wind. Fine chap that Smith. Legs a bit wobbly, but don't care if he had a hundred of 'em and all wobbly. He's all right.

Oh, my soul! What an a.s.s! What an adjectival, hyphenated jacka.s.s! Don't look at me that way or I shall climb a tree and yell. I'm not mad, I a.s.sure you. I was on the verge of it a few moments ago, but it is gone.

I am sane, sane as an old maid. Oh, my G.o.d!" He covered his face with his hands and sat utterly still for some moments.

"Dr. Martin, what is the matter?" exclaimed the girl. "You terrify me."

"No wonder. I terrify myself. How could I have stood it."

"What is the matter? What is it?"

"Why, Moira, I thought you were going to marry that idiot."

"Idiot?" exclaimed the girl, drawing herself up. "Idiot? Mr. Smith? I am not going to marry him, Dr. Martin, but he is an honorable fellow and a friend of mine, a dear friend of mine."

"So he is, so he is, a splendid fellow, the finest ever, but thank G.o.d you are not going to marry him!"

"Why, what is wrong with--"

"Why? Why? G.o.d help me! Why? Only because, Moira, I love you." He threw himself upon his knees beside her. "Don't, don't for G.o.d's sake get away! Give me a chance to speak!" He caught her hand in both of his. "I have just been through h.e.l.l. Don't send me there again. Let me tell you.

Ever since that minute when I saw you in the glen I have loved you. In my thoughts by day and in my dreams by night you have been, and this day when I thought I had lost you I knew that I loved you ten thousand times more than ever." He was kissing her hand pa.s.sionately, while she sat with head turned away. "Tell me, Moira, if I may love you? And is it any use? And do you think you could love me even a little bit? I am not worthy to touch you. Tell me." Still she sat silent. He waited a few moments, his face growing gray. "Tell me," he said at length in a broken, husky voice. "I will try to bear it."

She turned her face toward him. The sunny eyes were full of tears.

"And you were going away from me?" she breathed, leaning toward him.

"Sweetheart!" he cried, putting his arms around her and drawing her to him, "tell me to stay."

"Stay," she whispered, "or take me too."

The sun had long since disappeared behind the big purple mountains and even the warm afterglow in the eastern sky had faded into a pearly opalescent gray when the two reached the edge of the bluff nearest the house.

"Oh! The milking!" cried Moira aghast, as she came in sight of the house.

"Great Caesar! I was going to help," exclaimed the doctor.

"Too bad," said the girl penitently. "But, of course, there's Smith."

"Why, certainly there's Smith. What a G.o.d-send that chap is. He is always on the spot. But Cameron is home. I see his horse. Let us go in and face the music."

They found an excited group standing in the kitchen, Mandy with a letter in her hand.

"Oh, here you are at last!" she cried. "Where have you--" She glanced at Moira's face and then at the doctor's and stopped abruptly.

"h.e.l.lo, what's up?" cried the doctor.

"We have got a letter--such a letter!" cried Mandy. "Read it. Read it aloud, Doctor." She thrust the letter into his hand. The doctor cleared his throat, struck an att.i.tude, and read aloud:

"My dear Cameron:

"It gives me great pleasure to say for the officers of the Police Force in the South West district and for myself that we greatly appreciate the distinguished services you rendered during the past six months in your patrol of the Sun Dance Trail. It was a work of difficulty and danger and one of the highest importance to the country. I feel sure it will gratify you to know that the attention of the Government has been specially called to the creditable manner in which you have performed your duty, and I have no doubt that the Government will suitably express its appreciation of your services in due time. But, as you are aware, in the Force to which we have the honor to belong, we do not look for recognition, preferring to find a sufficient reward in duty done.

"Permit me also to say that we recognize and appreciate the spirit of devotion showed by Mrs. Cameron during these trying months in so cheerfully and loyally giving you up to this service.

"May I add that in this rebellion to my mind the most critical factor was the att.i.tude of the great Blackfeet Confederacy. Every possible effort was made by the half-breeds and Northern Indians to seduce Crowfoot and his people from their loyalty, and their most able and unscrupulous agent in this attempt was the Sioux Indian known among us as The Copperhead. That he failed utterly in his schemes and that Crowfoot remained loyal I believe is due to the splendid work of the officers and members of our Force in the South West district, but especially to your splendid services as the Patrol of the Sun Dance Trail."

"And signed by the big Chief himself, the Commissioner," cried Dr.

Martin. "What do you think of that, Baby?" he continued, catching the baby from its mother's arms. "What do you think of your daddy?" The doctor pirouetted round the room with the baby in his arms, that young person regarding the whole performance apparently with grave and profound satisfaction.

"Your horse is ready," said Smith, coming in at the door.

"Your horse?" cried Cameron.

"Oh--I forgot," said the doctor. "Ah--I don't think I want him to-night, Smith."

"You are not going to-night, then?" inquired Mandy in delighted surprise.

"No--I--in fact, I believe I have changed my mind about that. I have, been--ah--persuaded to remain."

"Oh, I see," cried Mandy in supreme delight. Then turning swiftly upon her sister-in-law who stood beside the doctor, her face in a radiant glow, she added, "Then what did you mean by--by--what we saw this afternoon?"