XVI
NATALIE WOUNDED
The frightened horses struggled over the watercourse, and gained thetrees before Garth, hampered as he was, succeeded in drawing their headstogether, and stopping them. Slipping out of the saddle withoutloosening his grasp of Natalie, he lifted her off, ever careful toshield her from possible further shots with his own body. He rememberedMabyn's was a single-shot weapon; and he counted on the time it wouldtake the Indian woman to obtain ammunition, and reload. Quickly andtenderly laying Natalie on the ground under shelter of a stump, heunslung his own rifle. But as he dropped to his knee, and raised it, hesaw the woman on the edge of the cut-bank swing the stock of her gunaround her head, and send the weapon spinning out over the water.Meanwhile Mabyn was running up the hill toward her with significantaction. No immediate further danger threatened. Garth put the pair outof his mind, and bent over Natalie. What happened to the woman atMabyn's hands was a matter of indifference to him now.
Natalie's left arm hung useless; and a soaking crimson stain spreadbroadly on her sleeve between elbow and shoulder. Her face had gone chalkywhite, her eyes were half closed, and her teeth were set painfully in herblue nether lip. To see his sparkling, vivid Natalie brought so low, was asight to open all the doors of Garth's brain to madness. His heart swelledsuffocatingly with rage and grief, but there was no time for that, whenevery faculty he possessed must be concentrated on saving her; and forcingit back, he picked her up again with infinite tenderness. His first andinstinctive thought was to return and seize the hut; so that he mightat least have a roof to cover her. He suspected the other two were nowwithout arms; but even if they had a weapon, he had a better one; wasa sure shot; and was on his guard.
At the first move he made in the direction of the hut, Natalie, whom hehad thought unconscious, divined his intention.
"Garth! Not in his house!" she murmured feverishly. "I will not go inthere! I will not!"
He paused in a painful perplexity. "But dearest, there is no otherhouse," he said.
"Put me down in the open air," she begged. "It would suffocate me! Iwill not endure it!"
So Garth turned back among the trees. He strode over the dead leaves andthe pine needles to the lake shore. Here, between the willows that grewthickly at the water's verge, and the heavier timber, extended an openstrip of grass, still fresh and green. He laid his burden down upon it;and, rolling up his coat, put it under her head for a pillow.
He hastily cut away her sleeve, exposing the injury. The ball had passedthrough, making a clean opening where it entered, and a jagged woundwhence it issued. It was clear the bone was broken; but from thecharacter of the bleeding, even Garth could see that the artery wasuninjured. He brought water from the lake in his hat, and gently washedthe wound; but even in this he doubted if he did right; for the waterwas cold--but he had nothing in which to heat it. The best he could dowas to take the chill out of it by pressing the handkerchief between hishot hands.
Everything they possessed that might have been of service was two milesoff; and might just as well have been a hundred; for Garth could notthink of leaving her; and he shrank from the thought of inflicting theagony it would cause her to be carried so far. And even suppose theygained their own camp, the situation would be little improved; for howwas he in his ignorance to undertake the delicate task of setting theshattered bone; of improvising splints and bandages; and supplying, whata glance at the ugly wound showed to be needful, antiseptics? A surgeon,whatever his skill, rarely dares trust the steadiness of his hand on thebodies of those he loves; what then was Garth to do, who had no skill atall?
He had his dark hour then, tasting ultimate despair. He sat beside her,gripping his dull head between his hands, and striving desperately tocontrive, where there was nothing to contrive with. Oh, the pity and thewrong of it, that it was _she_ who must be hurt! he thought; and howjoyfully he would have taken it himself to relieve her. _He_ bledinwardly; and the physical pain of the most hideous wounds could notequal the agony he experienced in his helplessness.
Meanwhile the wound momentarily changed. The arm began to swell anddarken; and Garth knew there was no time to lose. He made one attempt toproceed, kneading the flesh of the arm very gently to explore the brokenends of the bone--but Natalie's piteous cry of pain completely unmannedhim. He desisted, shaking like a leaf, and sick with compassion; and heknew he would never be able to do it.
What seemed like an age passed; though it was no more than a fewminutes. He was bending over her, doing what little he could to ease herpain; and with knotted brows rapidly considering, and rejecting, oneafter another, the desperate expedients that suggested themselves.Suddenly looking up he perceived among the trees, at the distance of afew paces, Rina standing. Hot anger instantly welled up in his breast,and made a red blur before his eyes. Rina's sex was no protection to herthen. He picked up his gun.
Observing the action, Rina mutely spread her hands, palms outward. Herentire aspect had changed; the storm of passion had passed; and shestood contrite and sullen. It was impossible for the blindest passionto shoot at a figure in such an attitude. Garth lowered his gun; but hestill kept it across his knees, and his face did not relax. The womanwas loathsome to him.
"What do you want?" he demanded coldly.
Rina came a little closer. "I sorry," she said sulkily--like a childunwillingly confessing a fault. "I t'ink I go looney for a while. I nothear right. I t'ink she try to tak' my 'osban' from me!"
Garth glanced at the suffering Natalie with contracted brows. "That'sall very well!" he said bitterly. "But it can't undo what's done!"
"I can mak' her well, maybe," said Rina, still affecting indifference."I know what to do. My mot'er, she teach me. If you let me look at her,I tell you."
A wild hope sprang up in Garth's breast. If the girl were only able tohelp Natalie, his hate of her could very well content itself a while.But dare he trust her? With keen, hard eyes he sought to read her face.Her own eyes avoided his; and she made a picture of savage indifference;but as he looked he saw two great tears roll down her cheeks. In hisdesperate situation it was well worth the risk.
Raising his gun, he said coldly: "You may look at her. If you try toinjure her, I will send a bullet through your head."
Receiving the permission, Rina came forward, careless of the threateninggun; and dropped to her knees beside Natalie. She examined the wound onboth sides; and felt of the fracture with delicate fingers. To judge ofthe normal position of the bones, she manipulated her own arm. Garth nevertook his eyes from her; but she was tenderer with the patient than hecould have been.
Finally she raised a mask-like face to Garth. "I can fix it," she said."If you let me."
Whatever her private feelings were, she had a confident air, that couldnot but convey some assurance to him. He nodded silently; after what hehad suffered, he scarcely dared believe in such good fortune.
Rina quickly rose. "You mak' a fire to heat water," she said coolly. "Igo to bring everyt'ing."
With the words, she was gone among the trees; and Garth, overjoyed to beable to do something with his hands, hastened to build a fire.
Before he really expected her, she was back with what she needed, a potfor heating the water, a basin, several kinds of herbs, some strips ofyellowed linen for bandages, a blanket and a knife. While the water washeating, she cut a deep segment of the smooth white bark of a youngpoplar for a splint--the curve of it was judged to a nicety to fitNatalie's arm. During the operation of setting the bone, Garth watchedher unswervingly, clenching his teeth to bear the spectacle of Natalie'sagony. For every pang of hers he suffered a sharper; the sweat courseddown his face.
But at last it was over; the wound washed and fomented with bruisedleaves, the splint fitted snug, and the whole neatly bandaged. Natalie,wrapped in the blanket, soon fell into the sleep of exhaustion.
Rina looked at the pale and shaken Garth with an odd expression. "If youhave whiskey, better tak' a drink," she suggested.
Garth had his
flask; and he obeyed without question.
Throughout the operation, Rina had preserved an admirable, professionalair, intent and impersonal; and when necessary she had brusquely orderedGarth to help her. Now that it was all over her face altered; shecontinued to kneel at Natalie's side, gazing at her soft hair, and thewhiteness of her skin with a kind of sad and jealous wonder.
Garth on the alert at the change, which portended he knew not whatexplosion of passion in the savage woman's breast, ordered her fromNatalie's side. She obeyed, resuming her sullen mask, but lingered nearhim, plainly full of some question she desired to ask. He observed forthe first, a purpling bruise above her temple. Rina saw his eyes uponit, and her colour changed.
"I run against a tree," she hastily volunteered.
At the same time her hand stole to her throat to hide certain marks onits dusky roundness. Garth knew instinctively that she was loyallylying. Mabyn had beaten her. He wondered how far the wish to serve thewoman she had injured was Rina's own impulse and how far she had beenforced to it by Mabyn. He began dimly to conceive that the red woman hadgood qualities.
At last the question on her breast was spoken. "Who is she?" she asked,pointing sullenly at the sleeping Natalie.
Garth rapidly considered what he should answer. He could not pretend tohimself that he had forgiven the woman; but since Natalie's pain wasmitigated he was cooler; and his sense of justice forced it home on himthat Rina, too, had been through her ordeal. In his present desperatesituation, his only chance of assistance lay in her--Mabyn was anegomaniac, and utterly irresponsible. Frankness had served Garth in goodstead before this; and finally he told her the plain truth in such termsthat she could understand.
"This feeling Mabyn has for her," he insisted in the end, "is only apassing one. If we can get her out of his sight all will go on asbefore."
Rina nodded. Her inscrutable face softened a little, he thought. "Ion'erstan' now," she said quietly. "So I not go crazy wit' t'inkingabout it."
Garth was glad he had told her.
Rina stood studying him with her strange and secret air. "You love herver' moch," she said suddenly, pointing to Natalie.
Garth bent over the sleeping figure in a way that answered her betterthan words.
"I t'ink she love you too," said Rina gravely. "When I 'urt her, she trynot to cry because it 'urt you so bad."
A slow red crept under Garth's skin. He hated to betray himself underthe eyes of the red woman; and he bustled about, averting his face fromher. "When can she be moved?" he asked, brusquely changing the subject.
Rina shook her head. "I not know," she said. "Maybe she have fever.Three, four week maybe."
Garth's heart sunk heavily, as he considered their scanty supplies, theapproach of winter--and, more dangerous still, the fruitful opportunitiesof conflict the weeks would offer to four souls so strangely opposed, andso strangely bound together in the wilderness.
"What is Mabyn doing now?" he asked suddenly.
Rina's face instantly became as blank as plaster. "I not talk to youabout him," she said coolly.
Garth was conscious of receiving a rebuke.
"But I help you," she added presently. "I go bring your outfit in."
Before she went, she brewed a draught for Natalie with some of the herbsshe had brought; and instructed Garth to administer it when she woke.For an instant all Garth's suspicions returned; and he looked at herhard. Rina, divining his thought, coolly lifted the pail to her lips,and drank of it. Once more he felt himself rebuked.
Left alone, his thoughts reverted to Mabyn. What would he have beenplotting all this time? he wondered; what stand would he take in thisnew posture of affairs? It was too much to hope, he decided, that one soselfish and so jealous could be persuaded to sink his animosity againstGarth, for the purpose of serving Natalie while she lay injured. Garth'sbusiness had made him more or less familiar with the workings of thediseased ego; and he was convinced that Mabyn, if for nothing else,hated him intolerably for having been the spectator of his repulse byNatalie.
As time passed, Natalie began to stir and mutter in her sleep and Garth,bending over her, fearful of fever, put the man out of his head.Returning to her from the edge of the lake, with cloths wrung out ofcold water, he found her with wide eyes and flushed cheeks.
"Send him away! Send him away!" she muttered. "I cannot have him nearme!"
At first he thought her mind wandered, but following the direction ofher eyes, he saw the figure of a man skulking among the trees; and hisface grimmed. Soothing her, he offered Rina's drink; and it had animmediate effect. She dropped off to sleep again. Then Garth picked uphis gun and strode toward Mabyn.
The man waited for him with an air oddly mixed of fear and bravado.As Garth came close he smiled in a way that he intended to beingratiating--but Mabyn's smile only rendered him more hideous.Garth's first look made sure that both his hands were empty.
"Is there anything I can do?" Mabyn asked with apparent solicitude.
"Yes, keep away from here," returned Garth curtly. "If I catch youwithin a hundred yards of my camp, I'll wing you so you won't move againas long as we're here."
Mabyn assumed an aggrieved expression. "You needn't take that tone," hegrumbled. "I came in friendliness. I want to have a talk with you."
"I'm listening," said Garth.
Mabyn twisted uneasily. "Damn it! How can a man make friendly advanceswhen you're standing over him with a gun!" he said.
"Say what you've got to say, or clear out," said Garth.
The aggrieved air proving ineffectual, Mabyn substituted offendedsilence; offered to go; and came back. "Well, look here!" he said atlast. "This is it. Here are the three of us up here----"
"Four," amended Garth.
"Well, four if you like," said Mabyn. "We're stuck here together. Wecan't afford to quarrel. We've got to have some working agreement."
"Is that all?" said Garth uncompromisingly.
Mabyn looked around with the air of a much-tried man, appealing to thebystanders--that they were only indifferent trees, rather spoiled theeffect. "I wouldn't take this from any man if it wasn't that I was benton avoiding trouble," he blustered.
Garth suppressed the scornful inclination to laugh.
"Look here," began Mabyn afresh, with a reasonable air. "I came to offeryou the shack for Natalie. She can't sleep in the open in her condition."
"Much obliged," said Garth coolly. "I intended to take it in the firstplace. But Miss Bland refused to allow herself to be carried there."
Mabyn's eyes bolted. His control over his facial muscles was imperfect;and the struggle between the open character he desired to convey, andthe secret feelings that tortured him, was plain. "What are you goingto do?" he asked.
"Build her a house," said Garth.
Mabyn, turning his back, appeared to be considering.
"Is that all you have to say?" asked Garth.
The other turned a face of obstinate friendliness and good will. "Lookhere--" he began all over. "I don't know your name----"
Garth informed him.
"Well, Pevensey, I'm sorry for what passed this morning. I regret what Isaid. I was only half awake; and scarcely knew what I did. Will youoverlook it?"
"Talk is cheap," said Garth guardedly. "I will be guided by your actionshenceforth." But his voice was milder; for an apology could not help butspeak to his sense of generosity.
Mabyn, encouraged, amplified his penitent, ingratiating air. "As to thefuture," he said, "I mean to show you. You'll soon be satisfied!" Hecame closer. "In the meantime let's make a truce! Shake hands on it!"
Garth thoroughly distrusted the man; but he could see no harm to Nataliein accepting his offer, while privately determining to relax none of hisvigilance. It was only too true, as Mabyn had said; neither could affordto quarrel. Mabyn had no gun, and Garth could not leave Natalie's sidefor an instant.
"I am willing," said Garth readily. "But it's understood this doesn'taffect what I said before. You are not to com
e within a hundred yards ofthis camp!"
Mabyn shrugged, as at the unworthiness of Garth's suspicions.
"You agree to it?" Garth persisted.
"All right!" said Mabyn--a shade too readily. "Shake!"
Garth shifted his gun; and advanced to take Mabyn's hand. The man couldnot keep an ugly little gleam from showing in his shifty gray eye; andGarth stopped abruptly. Mabyn sneered. Garth, fired by one of theimperious impulses of the blood of youth, strode forward and grasped theextended hand defiantly.
He saw instantly his mistake. Mabyn's face was suddenly transfigured bythe deadly hatred he had long repressed. His right hand closed onGarth's like a vice; and at the same time a knife slipped out of hissleeve into the other hand. He jerked the surprised Garth halfway round;and aimed a blow between his shoulders. Garth was oddly conscious of thefresh marks of the whetstone on the blade of the knife. With theincredible swiftness of our subconscious moves, he dropped his uselessgun; and twisting his body around, flung up his free hand, and wardedthe descending blow. Seizing Mabyn's wrist, he flung himself forward tobear the other back.
It was all very brief. Mabyn, braced to receive Garth's weight, held hisground. Inspired with a febrile strength, he enjoyed a temporaryadvantage. Unable to reach Garth's back, he thrust desperately at hisface, his neck--but only stabbed the air. They were locked together withtheir arms crossed--surely as strange a posture as ever men fought in!But Mabyn had staked all on the first blow; and that failing, therecould be but one result. His fictitious strength suddenly failing, hecollapsed in Garth's arms. Garth wrenched his hand free and hurled himto the ground, where he lay, livid and sobbing for breath. The attackhad been contrived with devilish cunning; but every design this manundertook in life was foredoomed to failure.
Garth secured the knife; and stood looking down at the broken wretch,with strong waves of disgust welling over him. He laughed briefly.
"Too contemptible to kill!" he said; and turned on his heel.
Two on the Trail: A Story of the Far Northwest Page 16