Part 17 (2/2)
”Yes, yes! You don't say! So, the Sturgeon Lake trouble has come to that point, has it? I was afraid of it I knew those felloere desperate They gave me a taste to show they meant business”
”They sure did, Mac But, say, that isn't the worst The Old Nick hih spots with fever We're afraid tofeminine voice fro an instant of pregnant silence, the universe stood still for all those there present The crisis was come more quickly than Donald had expected
”Well, by heavens, Mac,” blurted out Braithwaite, ”I didn't know you did this sort of--er, were away on a vaca--”
”Answer her question,” commanded Donald, bluntly; ”and then I'll explain”
”Oh, yes, who's got the fever? It's the governor, the boss, the factor--er--Mr Fitzpatrick It's not what you call dangerous yet, but the chances are good, ood”
The cry that broke froirl's lips halted any further essays at humor of this sort
”Shut up, can't you, Braithwaite?” snarled Donald ”Can't you see it's Miss Fitzpatrick, and that she wants to know about her father?
”Not the lost one, Mac?”
”Yes, the lost one; I found her, or, rather, weon earth but the clothes we stood in, and a knife and an ax We've been kicking along the best we could ever since in this cabin That's all there is to it Nohat about the factor?
”Well, it was this way, Mac There was a lively little arguoin' on out front, where some of our boys were tryin' to capture soht, if we captured those fellers, and brought 'em back to the fort prisoners, it would end the free tradin' As I say, there had been quite a little argus were goin'--got a little r'iled, as he sometimes does, you remember
We-ell, darned if he didn't start out to tell 'es him with a rifle bullet in the collar-bone, and that's the end of his fightin' for a while Of course, he's big and heavy and gettin' old, so the fever that set in came to be the most ih”
”Of course, Dr Craven from the fort is there?” queried Jean, fro with the expedition, and it's good he did”
”How is the situation down there now?” Donald questioned
”Well, for our side, it ain't no more'n so-so,” was the somber admission; ”an' eneral conversation, Braithwaite, with his sick,Jean's proffered hospitality, and the two castaways once more returned inside, and took their places by the fire
”Well, princess, that changes es directions”
”What do you eon Lake and father, to-morrow Of course, you have already decided to head that way”
”Yes, but I feel that you ought to go on to the fort with Braithwaite's party, and not down into the danger zone, where anything may happen to you”
”I know it, dear boy,” Jean answered, firmly ”But I can't leave father as sick as that to the tender care of a lot of fighting trappers Can't you see my position? He's all alone there, and I'd like to knohat kind of a daughter I'd be to turn my back and travel the other way!”
Donald ceased to resist, for he realized she was taking the only course open to a girl of courage and spirit