"Did you tell Huntington, or his wife, what you were going to do?" was his first speech.
"No. But I sent Mr. Smythe--he rode with me as far as Norton's--I sent him back with a message that I was going to stop the night at Murray's."
"And the Murrays? What did you tell them?"
"That I'd be back before night. But why do you ask?"
"I'm thinking that Smythe is a fool, and Murray is a blockhead."
"They did all they could to stop me," she answered quietly.
She had begun to strip the bark and twigs from the green limbs; and he watched her crude efforts for a moment.
"I think I might manage that part of it," he said at length. "You must build a fire."
She started to obey him, but stopped short, and looked at him in sudden fear and suspicion.
"No, you can trust me with the knife," he said. "I promise."
She handed the limbs and the knife to him; and he saw that her hands trembled.
"You'll find plenty of dead wood at the edge of the forest," he said. "Don't venture far among the trees."
The shadows were deepening along the other side of the meadow, and he watched her a little anxiously while she made half a dozen trips for dry limbs and small chunks of half-rotted logs. And now she felt a curious thrill as she began to employ the knowledge she had gained on her camping expedition. She had never dreamed that it would be so useful to her! And she found new courage in thinking, while she worked, how all her life she had been undergoing preparation, training, education for this hour. She wished that she might run to Philip and tell him all this--and of her faith! But he would not understand her.
Soon a fine fire was crackling on the grass, against one of the largest stones that had fallen from the cliff. Then she brought a small package from her bundle, and made a cup of hot chocolate for Haig and another for herself. This, with a small slice of bread for each of them, made their supper for that day; for such provisions as they possessed must be treasured scrupulously.
Haig had by this time finished trimming the aspen sticks; and by the fading light of day and the red light of the fire they set to work to mend the broken leg. Between them they knew something of surgery: she by recollecting all that she had seen in her father's office, where she had more than once helped Doctor Gaylord with his needles and bandages; he by recalling experiences on battlefields, in lumber camps, and in various rough places of the world. She brought his blankets, and helped him to move until he lay flat on them, with his head propped against a stone. Then the leg was stripped, and the ordeal began.