at last, and let his mind
drift whither it would.

Panoramas of the river, like pictures, unfolded before his eyes; he
remembered flashes taken of men, women, and children; he dwelt for a
time on the ruin of the church up there in the valley, standing vainly
against a mountain slide; his face warmed, his eyes moistened. His mind
seized eagerly upon a vision of the memory, the pretty woman, whose
pistol had shot down the deluded and now stricken wretch there in the
cabin.

The anomaly of the fact that he was caring for her victim was not lost
on his shrewd understanding. He was gathering up and helping patch the
wreckage she was making. It was a curious conceit, and Elijah Rasba,
while he smiled at the humour of it, was at the same time conscious of
its sad truth.

Her presence on the river meant no good for any one; Prebol was but one
of her victims; perhaps he was the least unfortunate of them all! Others
might perish through her, while it was not too much to hope that Prebol,
through his sufferings, might be willing to profit by their lesson.
Rasba was glad that he had not overtaken her that night of inexplicable
pursuit. Her brightness, her prettiness, her appeal had been
irresistible to him, and he could but acknowledge, while he trembled at
the fact, that for the time he had been possessed by her enchantment.

Thus he meditated and puzzled about the things which, in his words, had
come to pass. Before he knew it, daylight had arrived, and Jock Drones
came over to greet him with "Good mo'nin', Parson!" Prebol was sleeping
and there was colour in his cheeks, enough to make them look more
natural. When Doctor Grell arrived, just as the three sat down to
breakfast, he cheered them with the information that Prebol was coming
through though the shadow had rested close to him.

None of them admitted, even to himself, the strain the wounded man had
been and was on their nerves. Under his seeming indifference Buck was
near the breaking point; Jock, victim of a thousand worries, was bent
under his burdens. Grell, having fought the all-night fight for a human
life, was still weak with weariness from the effort. Rasba, a newcomer,
brought welcome reserves of endurance, assistance, and confidence.

"Yo' men shore have done yo' duty by a man in need," he told them, and
none of them could understand why that truthful statement should make
them feel so very comfortable.

They left the sick man to go on board the gaming boa