Part 25 (1/2)

”What is it? What's the matter?” she cried, raising wild eyes to Courant.

”Nothing at all,” said that unmoved person, squatting down on his heels and thrusting his hand inside David's s.h.i.+rt. ”Only a faint. Why, where's your nerve? You're nearly as white as he is.”

His eyes were full of curiosity as he looked across the outstretched figure at her frightened face.

”I--I--thought for a moment he was dead,” she faltered.

”And so you were going to follow his example and die on his body?” He got up. ”Stay here and I'll go and get some water.” As he turned away he paused and, looking back, said, ”Why didn't you do the fainting?

That's more your business than his,” gave a sardonic grin and walked off.

Susan raised the unconscious head and held it to her bosom. Alone, with no eye looking, she pressed her lips on his forehead. Courant's callousness roused a fierce, perverse tenderness in her. He might sneer at David's lack of force, but she understood. She crooned over him, moved his hair back with caressing fingers, pressing him against herself as if the strength of her hold would a.s.sure her of the love she did not feel and wanted to believe in. Her arms were close round him, his head on her shoulder when Courant came back with a dipper of water.

”Get away,” he said, standing over them. ”I don't want to wet you.”

But she curled round her lover, her body like a protecting s.h.i.+eld between him and danger.

”Leave go of him,” said Courant impatiently. ”Do you think I'm going to hurt him with a cup full of water?”

”Let me alone,” she answered sullenly. ”He'll be all right in a minute.”

”You can be any kind of a fool you like, but you can't make me one.

Come, move.” He set the dipper on the ground.

He leaned gently over her and grasped her wrists. The power of his grip amazed her; she was like a mouse in the paws of a lion. Her puny strength matched against his was conquered in a moment of futile resistance.

”Don't be a fool,” he said softly in her ear. ”Don't act like a silly baby,” and the iron hands unclasped her arms and drew her back till David's head slid from her knees to the ground.

”There! We're all right now.” He let her go, s.n.a.t.c.hed up the dipper and sent a splash of water into David's face.

”Poor David,” he said. ”This'll spoil his good looks.”

”Stop,” she almost screamed. ”I'd rather have him lie in a faint for an hour than have you speak so about him.”

Without noticing her, he threw another jet of water and David stirred, drew a deep breath and opened his eyes. They touched the sky, the wagon, the nearby sage, and then Susan's face. There they rested, recognition slowly suffusing them.

”What happened?” he said in a husky voice.

”Fainted, that was all,” said Courant.

David closed his eyes.

”Oh, yes, I remember now.”

Susan bent over him.

”You frightened me so!”

”I'm sorry, Missy, but it made me sick--the leg and those awful cries.”

Courant emptied the dipper on the ground.