第83章

For a week Ike remained at the Pass in hourly attendance at the hospital, looking in at every chance upon the sick man.In Shock's presence he carried an exaggerated air of cheerful carelessness, but outside he went about with a face of sullen gloom.Toward The Don, with whom he had previously been on most friendly terms, he was wrathfully contemptuous, disdaining even a word of enquiry for his patient, preferring to receive his information from the nurse.In Ike's contempt, more than in anything else, The Don read the judgment of honourable men upon his conduct, and this deepened to a degree almost unendurable his remorse and self-loathing.

One morning, when the report was not so favourable, Ike stopped him with the question: "Will he git better.?""Well," said The Don gloomily, "I have not given up hope.""Look here," replied Ike, "I want you to listen to me." His tone was quiet, but relentlessly hard."If he don't, you'll talk to me about it."The Don looked at him steadily.

"Would you kill me?" he asked, with a quiet smile.

"Well," drawled Ike slowly, "I'd try to.""Thank you," said The Don."That would save me the trouble." And, turning on his heel, he left the cowboy in a very puzzled state of mind.

But Shock did not die.His splendid constitution, clean blood, and wholesome life stood off the grim enemy, and after two weeks of terrible anxiety The Don began to hope, and insisted on the nurse allowing herself some relaxation from her long watch.

But as Shock grew stronger The Don's gloom deepened.He had determined that once his friend was fit for work again he would relieve him of the burden of his presence.He had only brought trouble and shame to the man who was his most trusted, almost his only friend.

Life looked black to The Don in those days.Lloyd's treachery had smitten him hard.Not only had it shaken his faith in man, but in God as well, for with him Lloyd had represented all that was most sacred in religion.Death, too, had robbed him of his heart's sole treasure, and in robbing him of this it had taken from him what had given worth to his life and inspiration to his work.Of what use now was anything he had left?

He was confronted, too, with the immediate results of his recent folly.The hospital funds, of which he was the custodian, had disappeared.He knew that Hickey had robbed him of most of them, but in order to recover them he would have to acknowledge his crime of using them for his own ends.As he moved in and out among the men, too, he had caught murmurs of a charge of embezzlement that in his present condition filled him with shame and fear.If the thing could be staved off for a month he could make it right, but he knew well that the gang would give him as little respite as they could.

Indeed, it was only Sergeant Crisp's refusal to entertain any formal charge while Shock's life was in danger, that had saved The Don so far.But while Sergeant Crisp had stood between him and his enemies thus far, he knew that a day of reckoning must come, far the Seregant was not a man to allow considerations of friendship to interfere with duty.With Sergeant Crisp duty was supreme.

But more than The Don was Shock anxious to have this matter of the hospital funds cleared up, and he only waited an opportunity to speak to The Don about it.The opportunity was forced on him unexpectedly.

One day, as he lay apparently asleep, the Sergeant called The Don into the next room.Through the paper and cotton partition their voices came quite clearly.

"I have been wanting to speak to you about a matter," the Sergeant said, with some degree of hesitation, "Hickey's friends are saying nasty things about you.""What do you mean?" said The Don, knowing only too well.

"About the hospital funds, you know.In fact, they are saying--"At this point the nurse came running in.

"Mr.Macgregor wants you, doctor, at once," she cried, and The Don hurried in to him.

"Go and tell the Sergeant to wait," Shock said to the nurse, and she went out leaving The Don alone with him.

"Don," said Shock, "I know all about it.Don't speak.Here," taking the roll of bills from under his pillow, "here is the hospital money.Quick! Don't ask questions now.Go to the Sergeant.Go! go!""Nothing wrong?" asked the Sergeant anxiously, when The Don had returned.

"Oh, no," said The Don."Nothing serious.You were speaking about some hospital funds?""Why, yes, the fact is, they are--it's an ugly thing to say--they are charging you with misappropriation of those funds.""Oh, they are?" said The Don, who had by this time got back his nerve."Well, Sergeant, let them come on.The accounts will be ready.And, indeed, I shall be glad to turn over the funds to yourself now.Excuse me a moment." He went to his desk and brought out a pass book."This shows all the subscriptions, about two hundred dollars, I think.And here," he said, drawing the bills out of his pocket, "you will find the whole amount.""Not at all," said the Sergeant, "not at all, my dear fellow.Ithought it right you should know--be prepared, you understand.""Thank you, Sergeant," said The Don."Any time my books can be seen.

Good-bye."

The Don went in to Shock, sent the nurse out for a walk, shut the door, and then, returning to the bed, threw himself on his knees.

"Oh, Shock," he said, "this is too much.What can I say?""Nothing at all, old chap.Don't say anything What is that between us? We have been through too many things together to have this bother us.""Shock! Shock!" continued The Don, "I have been an awful fool, a blank, cursed fool!""Don't swear, old chap," said Shock.