foreman stand on the running board and
support the unconscious labourer, set off for headquarters at such
speed as was possible. Into the low shack used for hospital purposes
the two carried their charge, and as the doctor was absent Bryant
began a search to find him. He ran down the camp street shouting the
doctor's name and along the ditch where the teams moved, until he
encountered Carrigan.

"Doc ain't here. Who's hurt?" Pat asked. For a call for the doctor
could mean but one thing.

Bryant described the nature of the accident and both men hastened back
to the hospital. The door was now closed. Before it, stood the foreman
of the concrete gang, who was narrating for the benefit of a group of
cooks and freighters details of the mishap.

Bryant turned the knob, but the door was locked.

"He stationed me here to keep men out," the foreman said.

"Then he's in there."

"Yes, came a-running. Was loafing out there in the brush and having a
smoke. Said he was going to operate at once, then locked the door."

"Not alone!" Lee exclaimed.

"No, he has help. One of the engineers from the office, who had come
trotting over to see what was wrong, and a girl."

"A girl! What girl?"

The foreman shook his head.

"Don't know who she is. She came riding in from the south. When she
saw us hustling round, she asked what had happened and jumped off her
horse and inquired of the Doc whether she could be of any help. He
looked at her, then said yes. She's in there now. One of the men is
caring for her horse."

"A bay horse?"

"Yes. And a pretty girl, too. I'd almost lose an arm to have a
good-looker like her hovering over me."

"All right, Jenks. You can go back now. Get another man for your crew
from Morgan. I'll obtain this fellow's name and his address, if he has
any, from the time-keeper, in case he passes in his checks."

The foreman started away. The group before the door disintegrated and
presently disappeared. Pat glanced at the sun, lighted a cigar, and
asked:

"Do we start a night shift?"

"Yes; whenever you can bring in the men."

"Then I'll wire for some right away. The thermometer was five below
this morning, and only twenty-two above this noon. She's cold at
last."

"Go to it, Pat. I'll stay here till Doc is through."

When Carrigan had left him, Bryant sat down on a discarded oil tin
lying on the ground--one of the square ten-gallon cans common about
camps. He gazed at the door of the hospital s