All I could see of her head were the coils of her golden hair, for she had my hand in both her own and her face was hidden on the bed-spread. I could hear her voice whispering softly. She was praying. She repeated my name ever so often. She was praying that I might be allowed to live. From that moment I lived and grew stronger. But I dared not move in case I might disturb her. She rose at last and bent over my bandaged head. She scrutinised my face. As she leaned closer, I caught the fragrance of her breath and the perfume of her hair. And then,--God forgive me for my deceit! although, for such an ecstasy I would go on being deceitful to the end of time,--she stooped lower and her full, soft, warm lips touched mine. I raised my eyelids to her blushing loveliness. I tried to smile, but she put her finger up demanding silence. She fed me again and new strength flowed through my veins. What questions I asked her then! How did I get here? What day of the week was it? Was Joe Clark dead? "Hush, hush!" she chided. "You must go on sleeping." "But I can't sleep forever. Already I have been asleep for years," I complained feebly. "Hush, then, and I will tell you." She sat down by my bedside and I lay still and quiet as she went over what she knew. "This is Saturday evening. I found you, lying unconscious,--dead as I thought,--out on the path, as I went for fresh water yesterday morning. "I brought you here. I did not know what had befallen you. I was afraid you had been set upon by the thieves who tried to rob Jake Meaghan; but from what you have just said, it was Superintendent Clark who attacked you." I nodded. "Was he not lying there beside me,--dead?" I asked. "Hush! There was no one near you; but the place looked as if a herd of buffalo had thundered over it." I was puzzled, but I tried to laugh and the attempt hurt me. "How did you get me here?" I interrupted. "Now!" she said, "if you speak again, I will tell you nothing. "I ran home for blankets. I got two poles and fixed the blankets to these. I rolled you over on to my improvised stretcher and trailed you here, Indian fashion. It was easy as easy. Mrs. Malmsbury was abed and I did not wish to disturb her just then. Later, when I got you here, she helped me to put you to bed. "Oh! I am so glad that man did not murder you." "But it would not have been murder, Mary," I put in. "It was a fair fight." "But why should two, strong, clean-living young men want to fight? Don't answer me, George," she added quickly, "for I am merely cogitating. Men seem such strange animals to us women." I smiled. Other questions I asked, but Mary declined to answer and I had, perforce, to lie still, with nothing to do but follow her with my eyes wherever she went. For one more day, she kept me on my back, bullying me and tyrannising over me, when I felt strong enough to be up and about my business.