"Perhaps you had best be quiet," replied Joan.
"No. I've been shot before. I'll get over this--if my back's not
broken. How can we tell?"
"I've no idea."
"Lift me up."
"But you might open your wound," protested Joan.
"Lift me up!" The force of the man spoke even in his low whisper.
"But why--why?" asked Joan.
"I want to see--if I can sit up. If I can't--give me my gun."
"I won't let you have it," replied Joan. Then she slipped her arms
under his and, carefully raising him to a sitting posture, released
her hold.
"I'm--a--rank coward--about pain," he gasped, with thick drops
standing out on his white face. "I can't--stand it."
But tortured or not, he sat up alone, and even had the will to bend
his back. Then with a groan he fainted and fell into Joan's arms.
She laid him down and worked over him for some time before she could
bring him to. Then he was wan, suffering, speechless. But she
believed he would live and told him so. He received that with a
strange smile. Later, when she came to him with broth, he drank it
gratefully.
"I'll beat this out," he said, weakly. "I'll recover. My back's not
broken. I'll get well. Now you bring water and food in here--then
go."
"Go?" she echoed.
"Yes. Don't go down the canon. You'd be worse off. ... Take the back
trail. You've got a chance to get out. ... Go!"
"Leave you here? So weak you can't lift a cup! I won't."
"I'd rather you did."
"Why?"
"Because in a few days I'll begin to mend. Then I'll grow like--
myself. ... I think--I'm afraid I loved you. ... It could only be
hell for you. Go now, before it's too late! ... If you stay--till I'm
well--I'll never let you go!"
"Kells, I believe it would be cowardly for me to leave you here
alone," she replied, earnestly. "You can't help yourself. You'd
die."
"All the better. But I won't die. I'm hard to kill. Go, I tell you."
She shook her head. "This is bad for you--arguing. You're excited.
Please be quiet."
"Joan Randle, if you stay--I'll halter you--keep you naked in a
cave--curse you--beat you--murder you! Oh, it's in me! ... Go, I tell
you!"
"You're out of your head. Once for all--no!" she replied, firmly.