Upon this discussion, Lize, hobbling painfully, appeared. With a cry of surprise, Lee rose to meet her. "Mother, you must not do this!" She waved her away. "I'm all right," she said, "barring the big marbles in my slippers." Then she turned to Dalton. "Now what's it all about? Is it true that Ross is down?" "No. So far as we know, he is well." "Well, I'm going to find out. I don't intend to set here and have him up there without a cook or a nurse." At this moment a tall, fair young fellow, dressed in a ranger's uniform, entered the room, and made his way directly to the spot where Lee, her mother, and Redfield were standing. "Mr. Supervisor, Cavanagh has sent me to tell you that he needs a doctor. He's got a sick man up at The Station, and he's afraid it's a case of smallpox." He turned to Lee. "He told me to tell you that he would have written, only he was afraid to even send a letter out." "What does he need?" asked Redfield. "He needs medicine and food, a doctor, and he ought to have a nurse." "That's my job," said Lize. "Nonsense!" said Redfield. "You're not fit to ride a mile. I won't hear of your going." "You wait and see. I'm goin', and you can't stop me." "Who is the man with him?" asked the Forester. "I don't know. An old herder, he said. He said he could take care of him all right for the present, but that if he were taken down himself--" Lee's mounting emotion broke from her in a little cry. "Oh, Mr. Redfield, please let me go too! I want to help--I must help!" Redfield said: "I'll telephone to Sulphur City and ask Brooks to get a nurse, and come down as soon as possible. Meanwhile I'll go out to see what the conditions are." "I'm going too, I tell you," announced Lize. "I've had the cussed disease, and I'm not afraid of it. We had three sieges of it in my family. You get me up there, and I'll do the rest." "But you are ill?" "I was, but I'm not now." Her voice was firmer than it had been for days. "All I needed was something to do. Ross Cavanagh has been like a son to me for two years; he's the one man in this country I'd turn my hand over for--barrin' yourself, Reddy--and it's my job to see him through this pinch." In spite of all opposition, she had her way. Returning to her room to get such clothing as she needed for her stay in the hills, she waited for Redfield to send a carriage to her. "I can't ride a horse no more," she sorrowfully admitted. Lee's secret was no secret to any one there. Her wide eyes and heaving breast testified to the profound stir in her heart. She was in an anguish of fear lest Ross should already be in the grip of his loathsome enemy. That it had come to him by way of a brave and noble act only made the situation the more tragic. XIV THE PEST-HOUSE Cavanagh had kept a keen watch over Wetherford, and when one night the old man began to complain of the ache in his bones his decision was instant. "You've got it," he said. "It's up to us to move down the valley to-morrow."