Part 7 (1/2)

They went to the bar and when Deering picked up his gla.s.s he said, ”Good luck to the kid and a quick recovery!” He drained the gla.s.s and looked at Stannard hard. ”When Jimmy needs a help out, I'm his man.”

Stannard said nothing, but lighted a cigarette.

In the morning a young doctor arrived from Calgary and was some time in Jimmy's room.

”I reckon your luck was pretty good,” he remarked. ”After three or four days you can get up and go about--” He paused and added meaningly: ”But you want to go slow.”

Jimmy's face was white, but the blood came to his skin.

”I'd begun to think something like that,” he said in a languid voice.

The doctor nodded. ”Since you could stand for the knock you got, your body's pretty sound, but I get a hint of strain and the cure's moral.

You want to cut out hard drinks, strong cigars, and playing cards all night.”

”Do the symptoms indicate that I do play cards all night?”

”I own I was helped by inquiries about your habits,” said the doctor, smiling. ”If you like a game, try pool, with boys like yourself, and bet fifty cents. I don't know about your bank-roll, but your heart and nerve won't stand for hundred-dollar pots when your antagonists are men.”

”One antagonist risked his life to save mine,” Jimmy declared, with an angry flush, for he thought he saw where the other's remarks led.

”I understand that is so,” the doctor agreed. ”My job's not to talk about your friends, but to give you good advice. Cut out unhealthy excitement and go steady. If you like it, go up on the rocks.

Mountaineering's dangerous, but sometimes one runs worse risks.”

He went off and by and by Deering came in.

”The doctor allows you are making pretty good progress. The man who means to put you out must use a gun,” he said with a jolly laugh.

”Anyhow, we were bothered and when we got the bulletin we rushed the bar for drinks.”

”My friends are stanch.”

”Oh, shucks!” said Deering. ”You're the sort whose friends are stanch.

Say, your holding on until I pulled you over was great!”

”You didn't pull me over. The stone rocked and I came off.”

”One mustn't dispute with a sick man,” Deering remarked. ”All the same I want to state I owe you much, and I pay my debts. I'd like you to get that.”

Jimmy smiled. ”If it's some comfort, I'm willing to be your creditor. I know you'd meet my bill.”

”Sure thing,” said Deering, who did not smile. ”When you send your bill along, I'll try to make good. That's all; I guess we'll let it go.”

”Very well. I don't see how you were able to stick to the slab.”

”My foot slipped from the k.n.o.b, but for a few moments you held me up, and bracing my knee against the stone, I swung across for the crack.

Then I was on the shelf and you went over my head. That's all I knew, until Stannard joined me and took control.”