BACK AT THE MISSION
“You’ve won, Dick. Dr. Brady says that you were absolutely wonderful.
The way you sat on your horse, the way you ordered that crowd of natives
about—your calmness, your courage. You were every inch a policeman!”
Dick laughed.
“I wonder what Dr. Brady would say if he knew the truth. I wonder what
he would say if he knew that I was quaking inside like a jelly-fish. It
is true that I sat on my horse, but the credit is due the horse, not me.
If he had moved as much as one front leg, he’d have shaken me out of the
saddle. Our cause would have been lost.”
“Come! Come! You’re fooling, Dick.”
“Not at all. I was never more frightened in my life, and I never want to
be as badly frightened again. I was trembling like a leaf. When the
chief brought out Father Bleriot and Dr. Brady and turned them over to
us, I very nearly collapsed.”
“But the Indians were frightened too. They were afraid of you.”
“Perhaps they were. Everyone was more or less frightened, I guess,
except Toma. Cool! Honestly I think he enjoyed it. He egged me on,
encouraged me. I never would have had the nerve to enter that village if
it hadn’t been for him. There’s a young man, Sandy, who was born without
fear. He doesn’t know what it means.”
Sandy rose and threw another log on the fire. Then he rubbed the palms
of his hands together and grinned.
“Well, I’ll grant that. He doesn’t. He loves action and excitement. He
eats it. I suppose he’s off somewhere now, worrying because we haven’t
much left here to do.”
“I know where he is,” laughed Dick. “He went back to the Indian village
with Dr. Brady. Brady is finishing his work there this afternoon. Toma
is his interpreter.”
A moment of silence. Then:
“Dick, were you over to see Corporal Rand this morning?”
“Yes.”
“Better, isn’t he?”
“Much better. I never saw anyone improve so rapidly.”
“But you didn’t talk with Dr. Brady. Did he tell you, Dick—did you
hear——”
In his excitement, Sandy pulled forward a chair and plumped himself into
it, putting both hands on Dick’s knees.
“Dr. Brady admits that he was wrong. His first examination was—er—well,
a little hasty. Those feet, for example. Bad, of course, but——”
“Do you mean to tell me he’ll walk?”
“Exactly.”
“Will be well enough to return to his duties?”
“Dr. Brady believes so now. He was quite enthusiastic this morning.
It’ll take months, of course—months before he’ll be around again. First,
he must go to Edmonton and have an operation—skin grafting and all that
sort of thing.”
“And his mind is all right too?”
“Yes. Almost.”
“Almost!” snorted Dick. “You don’t mean that, surely. Why, he was
perfectly rational last night, when I had a talk with him. He remembered
everything. He told me about his troubles on the trail. He asked me if
we were intending to take the Keechewan mail back with us. We had a long
talk together. His mind is as bright as a new silver American dollar.
What made you say that?”
Sandy rose again and pushed back his chair. He walked over and stood
with his back to the fire.
“It’s getting colder, Dick.”
“Look here, you gay young deceiver, you didn’t answer my question.”
Sandy looked up blankly.
“Eh, what? Question?”
“Yes. My question. Why do you think that Corporal Rand hasn’t fully
recovered his mental powers?”
“He hasn’t—quite,” Sandy wagged his head dolefully. “He sometimes
suffers from hallucinations. Dr. Brady and I both noticed it.”
“What are they?”
“There was one in particular. It would have amused me, only I feel so
sorry for him. He’s—he’s—well, he thinks he’s going to be placed under
arrest. Can you imagine anything so absurd? And by Inspector Cameron,
too. He’s really worrying about it.”
Dick’s roar of laughter echoed to every part of the room. Tears of
merriment chased each other down his cheeks.
“I don’t think that is so very funny,” Sandy declared with great
dignity. “You ought to pity the man.”
“You chump! You chump!” howled Dick. “Why that—that isn’t an
hallucination; it’s a fact. Corporal Rand may be arrested. He probably
will be, but I don’t believe Cameron will be very severe with him. Not
this time.”
“What’s he done?” blinked Sandy.
“Disobeyed orders. He came up here against the inspector’s wishes. You
see, Cameron intended to come himself.”
“Oh,” said Sandy, much relieved, “the inspector has probably forgotten
all about it.”
“Not he! Cameron never forgets.”
“But he won’t be hard on him.”
“Of course not. He’ll impose a light fine along with a severe lecture.
Then he’ll reach in his pocket and give Rand the money to pay the fine.”
Sandy laughed.
“Why don’t you tell Rand that? I think it will relieve his mind.”
“Guess I will.” Dick rose. “I’ll take a run over there now and cheer him
up.”
Dick had readied the door, when Sandy called him back.
“I say, Dick.”
“Yes, Sandy, what is it?”
“Remember the night when you released the Indian—sent him back to his
people with that message?”
“Yes, I remember.”
“I—I called you some names, Dick. I’m sorry about that. I guess I was a
bit angry and overbearing. You’ll overlook it, won’t you?”
Dick took his chum’s hand and gripped it firmly.
“Why—I’d forgotten about it. Anyway, it’s all right. Everything is all
right,” he smiled.
“And you’re all right, too,” declared Sandy.
Which, considering everything, was as fine a compliment as Dick had ever
received.