."

The girl flushed crimson, and then laughed a little to hide her
embarrassment. "Oh, as to that--we are quits, Mr. Stane."

"Not quite," he said quietly.

"What do you mean?" she asked quickly.

"Well," he answered, speaking slowly and considering every word, "I am
tied here for some time--for weeks certainly. I can't move and I can't
be moved. You----"

"I!" she interrupted sharply. "I shall remain here. I shall nurse you.
There is nothing else to be done. I could not go forward a mile in this
wilderness of trees without being lost; and I certainly couldn't find
my way back to the river--even if I wanted to."

"But your uncle and friends. They will be looking for you, they will
think you are lost."

"There's no help for that," she answered resolutely. "You will be able
to do nothing for yourself. As you said just now you are tied here for
weeks; and I am tied with you. There is simply nothing else for it. You
were at my service when I needed you, and I am at your service now that
you need me. I think that is all that need be said."

"Perhaps some wandering Indian may show up," he said meditatively.
"Then----"

"I shall refuse to leave you before you are well," replied Helen with a
little laugh. "You are my patient, Mr. Stane--the very first that I
have had the chance of practising on; and you don't suppose I am going
to surrender the privilege that fate has given me? No! If my uncle
himself showed up at this moment, I should refuse to leave you until I
saw how my amateur bone-setting turned out. So there! That is my
ultimatum, sir."

There was an almost merry note in her voice, but there was a note of
resolve also; and Stane's gratitude and admiration increased. He looked
at her with grateful eyes. Her face was rosy, her eyes were bright with
laughter, though they turned away in some confusion as they met his.

"You are a very noble----"

"Oh," she interrupted quickly, her face taking a deeper hue. "You do
not know me yet. You haven't seen me at my worst. You don't know how
catty I can feel sometimes. Wait until you do, and then you can deliver
judgment."

She ended with laughter, and rose from her seat as if to leave the
tent; seeing which Stane spoke quickly.

"Whatever the worst or best of you may be, I am happy to be in your
hands!"

"Just wait until I have shown my claws," she said over her shoulder, as
she passed outside.

Stane lay quite still with a very thoughtful look in his eyes. Out