“Yes, we will go and bring him up. A doctor lives up the canon. Maybe
he’s at home. The man can’t walk?”
“No; he is lying helpless in the road.” The strong man, whom she
afterward heard the others call Samson,--one of those singular
coincidences of name and character,--turned and picked out two men.
“You two,” he said, as quietly as though he were directing the
road-work, “cut two poles and make a litter with them and a blanket.
Go and bring the man up. You,” he said to a third, “help them make the
litter, and give a hand on the trip.” Two others he directed to prepare
the wagon, which stood a short distance up the road. Another he sent up
the road to summon the doctor. Then he turned his attention to the young
woman. Without consulting her, he made a comfortable nest of greatcoats
and blankets, and when he had so deftly and quickly finished it, he said
to her,--
“Come and rest here.”
“No!” she vehemently protested; “I am going back with the men.”
“You are not going back with the men. If you did, there would be two
for them to bring up instead of one. One is enough. Make yourself
comfortable here; you are safe.”
The slight rebuke in this, and the quiet determination with which the
man spoke, informed her that she must lay a reasoning hand upon her
agonizing fear and impatience. She obeyed him with as good a grace as
she could find.
Again without consulting her, he brought some hot coffee, poured it into
a tin-cup, and held it out to her.
“Drink that,” he said.
She drank it. He then produced some bread, which he sliced and buttered.
“Eat that,” he said.
She obeyed. While doing so she watched the men make the litter, and
marvelled at the skill with which they worked, and the quickness with
which the task was done, seemingly without the slightest effort or
hurry. Then in silence the three men swung down the road.
The man named Samson, although he had not appeared to be giving any
attention to his fair guest, was in front of her the moment she had
finished the bread and butter. He carried some things in his arms, and
threw them down at her feet.
“Take off your shoes and stockings,” he said, “and put on these socks;
they are thick and warm. Take off all your other things that are wet,
and wrap yourself up in these blankets. By the time the litter comes
your things will be dry in the sun.”