第52章

"Well," said Shock, "we must wait till--till everything is ready.""Yes," said the doctor."Not before three days would I dare to touch a knife.In three days, sir, I shall return, bringing all the appliances necessary, and in the interval the time will not be entirely lost.We shall take every means to tone the boy up.By the way, I suppose there is someone in the village with sufficient nerve to render assistance?""I do not know.There is only one man in this country whom I can think of as being reliable for an affair of this kind.Do you happen to know of the cowboy, Ike?""The very man," said the doctor."He lives on the Stanton ranch between this and the fort.We can see him on our way."Before the doctor left for home he had called to prepare the Carrolls for the operation.At first Tim would not hear of it.He fiercely declared that he would kill any man that dared put a knife on his lad.His wife was equally determined that the operation should not take place.

"Very well," said the doctor, "then your boy will die, and, Carroll, I shall have you arrested for manslaughter forthwith."This aspect of the case made little impression upon Carroll.

"If the lad dies," he said hoarsely, "divil a care what happens to me."But Mrs.Carroll became anxiously desirous.that the operation should be performed.

"And sure the good God wouldn't be after takin' him from us, for didn't his riverence there put up a prayer that would melt the heart of the angels, and I did promise God meself a rale fast, with niver an egg nor a bit of a fish to my teeth, if he should lave him wid us.And Carroll, darlin', ye'll not be after breakin' ye're wife's heart, nor makin' her a widow? Just ye come on, doctor, and niver a word he'll say till ye."And so it came, in three days that the doctor returned, clean, steady, and fit for his work, with Ike, Shock, and The Kid on hand as his assistants.

"I asked the doctor if I might come along," said the latter, explaining his presence, "and though he did not encourage me, here Iam."

"We will make him nurse or outside guard," said Shock."We will give him full charge of the family.""Yes," replied the doctor, in his gentle, professional voice, "the family.Let them be removed to some distance.The house must be kept entirely quiet, entirely quiet.An interruption might be serious.

Mr.and Mrs.Carroll and the children had better be taken away to some remote distance, so that we may have in the house perfect peace--perfect peace."But in Carroll they met an unexpected difficulty.

"Not a fut of me will I lave," he announced, and from this position was immovable.

"Let us say no more at present," said the doctor quietly to his assistants."There are various methods of removing an obstruction.Ihave found various methods."

And so The Kid, with Mrs.Carroll, Tim, Nora, Eileen, Jimmie, and little Michael, set of for Jumping Rock at the lake.After the procession had formed, however, another difficulty arose.Michael refused point blank to go, and on being urged threw himself down upon the ground and kicked and yelled vociferously.

"Indade, there's no use of tryin' to make him do what he don't want," said his mother, with a conviction born of long experience of Michael's tempers and ways.

The procession halted, The Kid looking helpless and foolish.In vain he offered his watch, his pistol with the charge drawn.All his possessions availed not at all.

In his desperation he was on the point of proceeding to extreme measures when a voice, singularly sweet and musical, sounded behind him.

"Perhaps I can help," it said.

The Kid swung round, hat in hand.It was Marion, the Old Prospector's daughter.

"I shall be profoundly thankful.And for that matter doubtless he will, too, for I had come to the conclusion that the situation demanded a change of tactics."The girl sat down beside Michael, and lifting him to her knee began to beguile him from his present misery with promises of songs, and snatches of tales, whose powers of enchantment had evidently been proved in similar circumstances, till finally his interest was diverted, his curiosity excited, and at length Michael was persuaded to join the company with smiling expectation of good things to come.

"I wish you would confide to me the secret of your power, Miss--"said The Kid, with a most courteous bow.

"I am Marion Mowbray," she said simply.

"Miss Mowbray," continued The Kid, "I know your father very well, and"--looking into the girl's eyes, so very piercing and so very black--"I should like to know his daughter, too."But Marion devoted herself chiefly to Michael, giving such attention as she could to the older and more active and more venturous Eileen and Jimmie, and The Kid found his duties to Mrs.Carroll, Tim, and Nora so engrossing that he had little time to bestow any further attention upon the girl.

While Marion with tales and songs held the younger portion in an enthralled circle about her upon the Jumping Rock, The Kid upon the lake shore below was using his most strenuous endeavours to make the hour pass happily for Mrs.Carroll, Tim, and Nora.

Meantime, in the back room of the Stopping-Place Dr.Burton was making his preparations for a very critical operation.All his movements were marked by a swift dexterity and an attention to detail that gave Shock the impression that here was a man not only a master of his art, but, for the time being at least, master of himself.He laid out and thoroughly disinfected his instruments, prepared his lint, bandages, sponges, and explained clearly to each of his two assistants the part he was to take.Shock, who had had some slight experience in the surgical operations attendant upon an active football career, was to be the assistant in chief, being expected to take charge of the instruments, and to take part, if necessary, in the actual operation.Ike was instructed to be in readiness with a basin, sponge, and anything else that might be demanded.