uetted against
the snow, was somehow ominous. Charnock tried to brace himself, for he
feared bad news.

"Well?" he said hoarsely.

"It's Musgrave; the doctor sent me along. Your partner's taken a turn.
He's going the right way now."

Charnock looked at the messenger. His relief was overwhelming and he
could not speak.

"That's all, but I guess it's good enough, and you can go to sleep," the
other resumed, and went away.

When he vanished among the trees Charnock returned to his chair. He
thought he ought to have brought the man in and made him some coffee,
but he was horribly tired and did not want to move about and talk.
Besides, he was conscious of a poignant satisfaction that prevented his
thinking about anything else. While he indulged it a wave of fatigue
swept over him and his head drooped. He tried to open his eyes but could
not, and a few minutes later he was sound asleep.

When he awoke the sun shone into the office and he felt stiff and
cramped, but not cold. This was strange, and he glanced at the stove,
which he had expected to find nearly out. The iron, however, glowed a
dull red and he could hear the cordwood snapping. Somebody must have put
in fresh fuel, and looking at his watch he got up with a start. The men
had been at work for two hours, with nobody to superintend them. Then he
heard a movement and turning round saw one in the room.

"Feeling better, boss?" the fellow asked. "Mr. Kerr told me to come and
see if you were awake. Said you'd find breakfast ready if you went to
his place."

"I expect you thought waiting for me to wake was easier than rolling
logs," Charnock suggested.

"Oh, well!" said the other; "you won't find we've fooled away much
time."

Charnock went to Festing's shack and the doctor nodded and indicated his
comrade's bunk. As Charnock stopped beside it Festing turned his head.

"Things going all right, Bob?"

"They were last night," said Charnock, with some embarrassment. "I don't
know about this morning because I've just got up. But how are you?"

Festing smiled. "Much better; imagine I'm not knocked out yet. You
needn't bother about being late. The boys are a pretty good crowd,
and they like you. I'm rather glad you didn't hustle them as much as I
wanted."

"That's enough," said the doctor, who followed Charnock to the door and
gave him a hopeful report.

Charnock ate a very good breakfast in Kerr's shack, but his face
was grave when he began his work. Luck h