"Dan!"
"_Faint, you fool!_"
Her eyes widened with instant comprehension. Every muscle of her body
relaxed; her head fell back; she was a lifeless burden in his arms.
Buck dismounted from the saddle before the shanty. He was white,
shaking, but triumphant. Rhinehart and Purvis and Jordan ran up to
him. Silent and Kilduff were still struggling with Haines in the
distance.
Rhinehart dropped his head to listen at her breast for the heartbeat.
"She's dead!" cried Jordan.
"You're a fool," said Buck calmly. "She's jest fainted, an' when she
comes to, she'll begin tellin' me what a wonderful man I am."
"She ain't dead," said Rhinehart, raising his head from her heart,
"but Haines'll kill you for this, Buck!"
"Kate!" cried an agonized voice from the shanty, and old white-haired
Joe Cumberland ran towards them.
"Jest a little accident happened to your daughter," explained Buck.
"Never mind. I c'n carry her in all right. You fellers stay back. A
crowd ain't no help. Ain't no cause to worry, Mr. Cumberland. She
ain't hurt!"
He hastened on into the shanty and laid her on the bunk within. Her
father hurried about to bathe her face and throat. Buck pushed the
other three men out of the room.
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