promptly。　　〃I　can　attend　to　both。〃
  The　master　lifted　the　boy　tenderly　in　his　arms。　　Johnny；　stimulated
  by　the　prospect　of　a　free　ride；　became　feebly　interested　in　his
  fellow　sufferer。
  〃Did　Theth　hit　him　bad？〃　he　asked。
  〃Seth？〃　echoed　the　master；　wildly。
  〃Yeth。　　I　theed　him　when　he　took　aim。〃
  The　master　did　not　reply；　but　the　next　moment　Johnny　felt　himself
  clasped　in　his　arms　in　the　saddle　before　him；　borne　like　a
  whirlwind　in　the　direction　of　the　McKinstry　ranch。
  CHAPTER　XIV。
  They　found　the　wounded　man　lying　in　the　front　room　upon　a　rudely
  extemporized　couch　of　bear…skins；　he　having　sternly　declined　the
  effeminacy　of　his　wife's　bedroom。　　In　the　possibility　of　a　fatal
  termination　to　his　wound；　and　in　obedience　to　a　grim　frontier
  tradition；　he　had　also　refused　to　have　his　boots　removed　in　order
  that　he　might　〃die　with　them　on；〃　as　became　his　ancestral　custom。
  Johnny　was　therefore　speedily　made　comfortable　in　the　McKinstry
  bed；　while　Dr。　Duchesne　gave　his　whole　attention　to　his　more
  serious　patient。　　The　master　glanced　hurriedly　around　for　Mrs。
  McKinstry。　　She　was　not　only　absent　from　the　room；　but　there　seemed
  to　be　no　suggestion　of　her　presence　in　the　house。　　To　his　greater
  surprise　the　hurried　inquiry　that　rose　to　his　lips　was　checked　by　a
  significant　warning　from　the　attendant。　　He　sat　down　beside　the　now
  sleeping　boy；　and　awaited　the　doctor's　return　with　his　mind
  wandering　between　the　condition　of　the　little　sufferer　and　the
  singular　revelation　that　had　momentarily　escaped　his　childish　lips。
  If　Johnny　had　actually　seen　Seth　fire　at　McKinstry；　the　latter's
  mysterious　wound　was　accounted　forbut　not　Seth's　motive。　　The　act
  was　so　utterly　incomprehensible　and　inconsistent　with　Seth's　avowed
  hatred　of　the　master　that　the　boy　must　have　been　delirious。
  He　was　roused　by　the　entrance　of　the　surgeon。　　〃It's　not　so　bad　as
  I　thought；〃　he　said；　with　a　reassuring　nod。　　〃It　was　a　mighty　close
  shave　between　a　shattered　bone　and　a　severed　artery；　but　we've　got
  the　ball；　and　he'll　pull　through　in　a　week。　　By　Jove！　thoughthe
  old　fire…eater　was　more　concerned　about　finding　the　ball　than
  living　or　dying！　　Go　in　therehe　wants　to　see　you。　　Don't　let　him
  talk　too　much。　　He's　called　in　a　lot　of　his　friends　for　some　reason
  or　otherand　there's　a　regular　mass…meeting　in　there。　　Go　in；　and
  get　rid　of　'em。　　I'll　look　after　baby　Filgeethough　the　little
  chap　will　be　all　right　again　after　another　dressing。〃
  The　master　cast　a　hurried　look　of　relief　at　the　surgeon；　and　re…
  entered　the　front　room。　　It　was　filled　with　men　whom　the　master
  instinctively　recognized　as　his　former　adversaries。　　But　they　gave
  way　before　him　with　a　certain　rude　respect　and　half　abashed
  sympathy　as　McKinstry　called　him　to　his　side。　　The　wounded　man
  grasped　his　hand。　　〃Lift　me　up　a　bit；〃　he　whispered。　　The　master
  assisted　him　with　difficulty　to　his　elbow。
  〃Gentlemen！〃　said　McKinstry；　with　a　characteristic　wave　of　his
  crippled　hand　towards　the　crowd　as　he　laid　the　other　on　the
  master's　shoulder。　　〃Ye　heerd　me　talkin'　a　minit　ago；　ye　heer　me
  now。　　This　yer　young　man　as　we've　slipped　up　on　and　meskalkilated
  has　told　the　truthevery　time！　　Ye　ken　tie　to　him　whenever　and
  wherever　ye　want　to。　　Ye　ain't　expected　to　feel　ez　I　feel；　in
  course；　but　the　man　ez　goes　back　on　HIMquo'lls　with　me。　　That's
  alland　thanks　for　inquiring　friends。　　Ye'll　git　now；　boys；　and
  leave　him　a　minit　with　me。〃
  The　men　filed　slowly　out；　a　few　lingering　long　enough　to　shake　the
  master's　hand　with　grave　earnestness；　or　half　smiling；　half　abashed
  embarrassment。　　The　master　received　the　proffered　reconciliation　of
  these　men；　who　but　a　few　hours　before　would　have　lynched　him　with
  equal　sincerity；　with　cold　bewilderment。　　As　the　door　closed　on　the
  last　of　the　party　he　turned　to　McKinstry。　　The　wounded　man　had　sunk
  down　again；　but　was　regarding　with　drowsy　satisfaction　a　leaden
  bullet　he　was　holding　between　his　finger　and　thumb。
  〃This　yer　shot；　Mr。　Ford；〃　he　said　in　a　slow　voice；　whose　weakness
  was　only　indicated　by　its　extreme　deliberation；　〃never　kem　from　the
  gun　I　gave　yeand　was　never　fired　by　you。〃　　He　paused　and　then
  added　with　his　old　dull　abstraction；　〃It's　a　long　time　since　I've
  run　agin　anythin'　that　makes　me　feel　morekam。〃
  In　Mr。　McKinstry's　weak　condition　the　master　did　not　dare　to　make
  Johnny's　revelation　known　to　him；　and　contented　himself　by　simply
  pressing　his　hand；　but　the　next　moment　the　wounded　man　resumed；
  〃That　ball　jest　fits　Seth's　navy　revolverand　the　hound　hes　made
  tracks　outer　the　country。〃
  〃But　what　motive　could　he　have　in　attacking　YOU　at　such　a　time？〃
  asked　the　master。
  〃He　reckoned　that　either　I'd　kill　you　and　so　he'd　got　shut　of　us
  both　in　that　way；　without　it　being　noticed；　or　if　I　missed　you；　the
  others　would　hang　YOUez　they　kalkilated　tofor　killing　ME！　　The
  idea　kem　to　him　when　he　overheard　you　hintin'　you　wouldn't　return
  my　fire。〃
  A　shuddering　conviction　that　McKinstry　had　divined　the　real　truth
  passed　over　the　master。　　In　the　impulse　of　the　moment　he　again
  would　have　corroborated　it　by　revealing　Johnny's　story；　but　a
  glance　at　the　growing　feverishness　of　the　wounded　man　checked　his
  utterance。　　〃Don't　talk　of　it　now；〃　he　said　hurriedly。　　〃Enough　for
  me　to　know　that　you　acquit　ME。　　I　am　here　now　only　to　beg　you　to
  compose　yourself　until　the　doctor　comes　backas　you　seemed　to　be
  alone；　and　Mrs。　McKinstry〃he　stopped　in　awkward　embarrassment。
  A　singular　confusion　overspread　the　invalid's　face。　　〃She　hed
  steppt　out　afore　this　happened；　owin'　to　contrairy　opinions　betwixt
  me　and　her。　　Ye　mout　hev　noticed；　Mr。　Ford；　that　gin'rally　she
  didn't　'pear　to　cotton　to　ye！　　Thar　ain't　a　woman　a　goin'　ez　is　the
  ekal　of　Blair　Rawlins'　darter　in　nussin'　a　man　and　keeping　him　in
  fightin'　order；　but　in　matters　like　things　that　consarn　herself　and
  Cress；　I　begin　to　think；　Mr。　Ford；　that　somehow；　she　ain't　exakly
  kam！　　Bein'　kam　yourself；　ye'll　put　any　unpleasantness　down　to
  that。　　Wotever　you　hear　from　HER；　and；　for　the　matter　o'　that；　from
  her　own　darter　toofor　I'm　takin'　back　the　foolishness　I　said　to
  ye　over　yon　about　your　runnin'　off　with　Cressyou'll　remember；　Mr。
  Ford；　it　warn't　from　no　ill　feeling　to　YOU；　in　her　or　Cressbut
  on'y　a　want　of　kam！　　I　mout　hev　had　MY　idees　about　Cress；　you　mout
  hev　had　YOURS；　and　that　fool　Dabney　mout　hev　had　HIS；　but　it　warn't
  the　old　woman'snor　Cressy'sit　warn't　Blair　Rawlins'　darter's
  ideanor　yet　HER　darter's！　　And　why？　　For　want　o'　kam！　　Times　I
  reckon　it　was　left　out　o'　woman's　nater。　　And　bein'　kam　yourself；
  you　understand　it；　and　take　it　all　in。〃
  The　old　look　of　drowsy　pain　had　settled　so　strongly　in　his　red　eyes
  again　that　the　master　was　fain　to　put　his　hand　gently　over　them；
  and　with　a　faint　smile　beg　him　to　compose　himself　to　sleep。　　This
  he　finally　did　after　a　whispered　suggestion　that　he　himself　was
  feeling　〃more　kam。〃　　The　master　sat　for　some　moments　with　his　hand
  upon　the　sleeping　man's　eyes；　and　a　vague　and　undefinable　sense　of
  loneliness　seemed　to　fall　upon　him　from　the　empty　rafters　of　the
  silent　and　deserted　house。　　The　rising　wind　moaned　fitfully　around
  its　bleak　shell　with　the　despairing　sound　of　far　and　forever
  receding　voices。　　So　strong　was　the　impression　that　when　the　doctor
  and　McKinstry's　attending　brother　re…entered　the　room；　the　master
  still　lingered　beside　the　bed　with　a　dazed　sensation　of　abandonment
  that　the　doctor's　practical　reassuring　smile　could　hardly　dispel。
  〃He's　doing　splendidly　now；〃　he　said；　listening　to　the　sleeper's
  more　regular　respiration：　〃and　I'd　advise　you　to　go　now；　Mr。　Ford；
  before　he　wakes；　lest　he　might　be　tempted　to　excite　himself　by
  talking　to　you　again。　　He's　really　quite　out　of　danger　now。　　Good…
  night！　　I'll　drop　in　on　you　at　the　hotel　when　I　return。〃
  The　master；　albeit　still　confused　and　bewildered；　felt　his　way　to
  the　door　and　out　into　the　open　night。　　The　wind　was　still
  despairingly　wrestling　with　the　tree…tops；　but　the　far　receding
  voices　seemed　to　be　growing　fainter　in　the　distance；　until；　as　he
  passed　on；　they　too　seemed　to　pass　away　forever。
  。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。
  Monday　morning　had　come　again；　and　the　master　was　at　his　desk　in
  the　school　house　early；　with　a　still　damp　and　inky　copy　of　the　Star
  fresh　from　the　press　before　him。　　The　free　breath　of　the　pines　was
  blowing　in　the　window；　and　bringing　to　his　ears　the　distant　voices
  of　his　slowly　gathering　flock；　as　he　read　as　follows：
  〃The　perpetrator　of　the　dastardly　outrage　at　the　Indian　Spring
  Academy　on　Thursday　lastwhich；　through　unfortunate
  misrepresentation　of　the　facts；　led　to　a　premature　calling　out　of
  several　of　our　most　public…spirited　citizens；　and　culminated　in　a
  most　regrettable　encounter　between　Mr。　McKinstry　and　the
  accomplished　and　estimable　principal　of　the　schoolhas；　we　regret
  to　say；　escaped　condign　punishment　b