第38章

His father had been hurt, and there stood the man who had hurt him.

In a fury the little lad hurtled across the room, and just as his father delivered his terrific blow he threw himself, with crutch uplifted, at the astonished Shock and right in the way of the descending chair.

Instead of starting back to avoid the blow, as he might easily have done, Shock without a moment's hesitation sprang towards the child, taking the full weight of the blow upon' his arm and head, but without entirely saving Patsy.Together they fell, Shock bleeding profusely from a deep cut on the head.

Two men sprang to his aid, while Carroll stood stupidly gazing down upon the white face of the little boy.

"Never mind me," said Shock, recovering consciousness quickly, "look to the child.Is he hurt?""He's dead, I guess," said Sinclair.

"It's a lie!" cried Carroll, in a hoarse voice."It's a blank lie, Itell you!"

His face was white and his terrible eyes, so lately suffused with the light of murder, were filled with startled terror.He dropped beside his child and lifted him in his arms, crying softly, "Patsy, boy Aw, now Patsy, darlin'.Spake to me, Patsy"But the long lashes lay quietly upon the white cheeks, and the little form remained limp and still.Carroll lifted an amazed and terror-stricken face to the company.

"What have I done? Sure he's not dead!" he said in an awed whisper.

"No, no," said Shock, wiping the blood out of his eyes and leaning over the little white face."Water, Perault, and brandy," he cried.

"Quick!"

The men who had stood aghast at the tragic ending of what had been simply a row of more than ordinary interest now hastened to give help.Water and brandy were immediately at hand.Ignoring his own wound, Shock bathed the face and hands of the unconscious child, but there was no sign of life.

"Guess he's gone out, right enough," said a cowboy.

"Liar! Liar! Blank your cursed soul for a liar!" cried Carroll, in a tone of agony.

"Man, man!" said Shock, in a stern, solemn voice, "would you provoke the Almighty to anger with your oaths? You ought rather to beseech His mercy for your own soul.Why should He give your child to the care of such a man as you? Give me the lad."Without a word of remonstrance Carroll allowed Shock to lift the lifeless child and carry him into the open air, where, laying him on the ground, he began to vigorously chafe his hands and feet.After some minutes of bathing and rubbing the eyelids began to flutter and the breath to come in gentle sighs.

"Brandy now, Perault," said Shock."There now, laddie.Thank God, he is coming to!""Dad, dad, where's dad?" said little Patsy faintly, opening his eyes."I want dad.""Here! Here! Patsy mannie," cried his father quickly, coming from behind the crowd where he had been standing dazed and stupid."Stand back there! Let me have my boy," he added savagely.

He swept both Perault and Shock angrily aside, gathered the little lad tenderly in his arms and strode off into the house, the white face of the child resting on his father's shoulder and his golden curls mingling with the black, coarse masses of his father's hair and beard.

"Well, I'll be blanked!" said one of the men."Wouldn't that pall you!""Blank cantankerous cuss!" said the cowboy."Never a `thank you' for gittin' half killed in place of his kid."Perault walked up to Shock, and offering his hand, said in a voice husky and broken, "Dat's two for you dis even'--me an' dat leele feller.For me--I can't spik my heart," smiting himself on the breast, "but my heart--dat's your own now, by gar!" He wrung Shock's hand in both of his and turned quickly away.But before he had taken many steps he returned, saying, "Come on wit me! I feex up your head." And without further words Shock and Perault passed into the Stopping Place.

The men looked at each other in silence for a time, then the cowboy said with unusual emphasis, "Boys, he's white! He's blanked white!"