back in his
arms and looked up at him with an expression so transcendently appealing
that it was only by the exercise of all his moral force that he was able
to restrain the impulse to crush her to him. He saw that the nurse was
regarding him with a peculiar expression, and as she, in turn, caught
his eye and turned hastily away with a little added color in her cheeks,
Donald recovered himself, lightly kissed the forehead so close to his
lips, and said, "Now for the fourth, and last, time, '_go to bed_.'
Good-night, little sister."

This time Rose actually departed, and, after the physician had given
Miss Merriman a few final directions, and bidden her call him instantly,
if anything appeared to be going wrong, he said good-night to her also,
and stepped toward the little room which he was to occupy. On reaching
it he paused, for there had come a low, uncertain knock on the cabin
door.

Lest it be repeated more loudly, and disturb the quiet into which the
room had finally settled, Donald forestalled the nurse's act, hurried
softly to the door, and opened it a few inches.

He started. There, leaning dejectedly against one of the pronged cedar
posts on the tiny stoop, was a spectre figure, ghastly of
countenance--Judd's. The doctor read in it the awful anguish of
uncertainty which had driven the mountaineer, against his will, back to
the cabin which held for him either hope or blank despair--and the man
he hated.

Donald slipped outside, and closed the door softly behind him. He
touched the inert form on the shoulder, and said in an undertone, "Come
with me away from the house, Judd."

The other followed him, with dragging feet and sagging shoulders, his
obedience being like that of a whipped dog. As he reached the rock
before the gnarled oak, which, in happier days, had been the target for
Big Jerry's first practice shot with the rifle that was later to play a
part in the tragedy of Mike's death, Donald stopped and faced the man
who had sworn himself his mortal enemy. The sight of the rock had
re-awakened bitter memories; but they perished still-born as his gaze
turned on the dimly seen figure beside him.

"Judd," he began, almost kindly, "you know why I came here this time?"

The other made an indistinct sound of assent.

"I ... I operated on your little sister's brain, to-night. Wait. It was
absolutely necessary, if she were to have even a single chance for life.
She was dying, Judd. The operation was a despe