nearer the opening. He had started up, too, and in
a moment was out of the tent. I do not think he had observed my action,
for it was very dark where I lay and his back had been turned toward me.
As for the others, they slept like the dead, only they made more noise.

Interested--everything is interesting at such a height--I brought my eye
to bear on the ledge, and soon saw by the limpid light of a full moon
the stiff, short branches of the trees, on which my gaze was fixed, give
way to an advancing horse and rider.

"Halloo!" saluted the doctor in a whisper, which was in itself a
warning. "Easy there! We have sickness in this camp and it's a late hour
for visitors."

"I know?"

The answer was subdued, but earnest.

"I'm the magistrate of this district. I've a question to ask this sick
man, on behalf of the New York Chief of Police, who is a personal friend
of mine. It is connected with--"

"Hush!"

The doctor had seized him by the arm and turned his face away from the
sick tent. Then the two heads came together and an argument began.

I could not hear a word of it, but their motions were eloquent. My
sympathy was with the magistrate, of course, and I watched eagerly while
he passed a letter over to the doctor, who vainly strove to read it by
the light of the moon. Finding this impossible, he was about to return
it, when the other struck a match and lit a lantern hanging from the
horn of his saddle. The two heads came together again, but as quickly
separated with every appearance of irreconcilement, and I was settling
back with sensations of great disappointment, when a sound fell on the
night so unexpected to all concerned that with a common impulse each eye
sought the sick tent.

"Water! will some one give me water?" a voice had cried, quietly and
with none of the delirium which had hitherto rendered it unnatural.

The doctor started for the tent. There was the quickness of surprise in
his movement and the gesture he made to the magistrate, as he passed in,
reawakened an expectation in my breast which made me doubly watchful.

Providence was intervening in our favor, and I was not surprised to see
him presently reissue with the nurse, whom he drew into the shadow of
the trees, where they had a short conference. If she returned alone into
the tent after this conference I should know that the matter was at an
end and that the doctor had decided to maintain his authority against
that of the magistrate. But