er, and whisky carefully administered, the big man restored
him enough to know that he was conscious.

"There now, you'll come out of this all right. You've got a good body
and a good head, young man,--lie by a little and I'll give ye some
broth."

The man took a small stone jar from a shelf and putting in a little
water, took the half-cooked quail from the fire, and putting it in the
jar set it on the coals among the ashes, and covered it. From time to
time he lifted the cover and stirred it about, sprinkling in a little
corn meal, and when the steam began to rise with savory odor, he did
not wait for it to be wholly done, but taking a very little of the
broth in a tin cup, he cooled it and fed it to his patient drop by
drop until the young man's eyes looked gratefully into his.

Then, while the young man dozed, he returned to his own uneaten meal,
and dined on dried venison and roasted potatoes and salt. The big man
was a good housekeeper. He washed his few utensils and swept the
hearth with a broom worn almost to the handle. Then he removed the jar
containing the quail and broth from the embers, and set it aside in
reserve for his guest. Whenever the young man stirred he fed him again
with the broth, until at last he seemed to sleep naturally.

Seeing his patient quietly sleeping, the big man went out to the
starving horse and gave him another taste of water, and allowed him to
graze a few minutes, then tied him again, and returned to the cabin.
He stood for a while looking down at the pallid face of the sleeping
stranger, then he lighted his pipe and busied himself about the cabin,
returning from time to time to study the young man's countenance. His
pipe went out. He lighted it again and then sat down with his back to
the stranger and smoked and gazed in the embers.

The expression of his face was peculiarly gentle as he gazed. Perhaps
the thought of having rescued a human being worked on his spirit
kindly, or what not, but something brought him a vision of a pale
face with soft, dark hair waving back from the temples, and large gray
eyes looking up into his. It came and was gone, and came again, even
as he summoned it, and he smoked on. One watching him might have
thought that it was his custom to smoke and gaze and dream thus.

At last he became aware that the stranger was trying to speak to him
in husky whispers. He turned quickly.

"Feeling more fit, are you? Well, take another sup of broth. Can't let
y