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To The West, a fiction by George Manville Fenn |
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Chapter 50. Our Patient Awakes |
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_ CHAPTER FIFTY. OUR PATIENT AWAKES There was no alarm next day, and scouts who were sent out came back to report that they had tracked the enemy down the river, and then up into the forest by one of the side streams, the second beyond the Golden Valley. "Humph!" ejaculated Mr Raydon, "pleasant that, John. They have taken to the lovely wooded vale I had marked down in my own mind for your future home." Mr John shrugged his shoulders, and gave his wife and brother-in-law a half-sad, half-laughing look. "I am not surprised," he said, "I always was the most unlucky of men." "Nothing of the kind, sir," retorted Mr Raydon. "You have had as much good fortune as other men--quite as much as I have. My dear John," he added more gently, "we men have a bad habit of forgetting the good in our lives, and remembering all the bad. My dear fellow, half your troubles have been caused by your want of energy." "Yes," he said, smiling sadly, "I suppose so. I have always been too ready to give up. But," he added quickly, "I never complain." Mr Raydon never looked so pleasant in my eyes before as he smiled at his sister, and then laid his hand on Mr John's shoulder. "Never, John, never. You annoy me sometimes by being so easy and yielding." "Yes, yes," said Mr John; "but I'm going to turn over a new leaf, and be stern and energetic as you are." Mrs John crossed to him and took his hand. "No," she said quietly, "you are going to turn over no new leaves, dear. You are best as you always have been. Daniel is wrong; we cannot have all men of the same mould." "Do you hear all this, Mayne Gordon?" said Mr Raydon, laughingly; and before I could reply, he said quickly, "Go on now, and take your turn as sentry; I want to think out my plans. Don't talk about it to the men, but something must be done. A combination must be made to capture these men again, for we shall have no peace or safety till they are cleared away." "What are you thinking of doing?" said Mrs John, taking alarm at his words. "Trying to end the matter peaceably, and without bloodshed." Mrs John uttered a sigh of relief, and I went out wondering what would be done, and thinking that if I had my way, I should collect all the miners, join forces, and then send one party to the head of the little vale, and attempt to advance with the others from the bottom by the river, little thinking what difficulties there would be in such a plan. As soon as I was outside Mr Raydon's office, I met Grey, who gave me a grim, dry look. "Know how many men you shot last night?" he said. I looked at him in horror. "Don't--don't say--" I faltered. "All right!" he replied; "but if you're going to carry a rifle, and you use it, you must expect to knock some of the enemy over. There, I was only joking you, soldier. I don't think anybody was even scratched by a ball. If you're going to stop with us, I shall have to make a marksman of you, so that you can do as I do--give a man a lesson." "In shooting?" I said. He laughed. "Yes, but you don't understand me. I mean give him such a lesson as will make him behave better. 'Tisn't pleasant, when you have grown cool after a fight, to think you have dangerously wounded or killed a man; not even if he tried to kill you. I felt that years ago, and I practised up, so that I can hit a man with a rifle just where I like-- that is nearly always." "It was you who fired at those two wretches then?" I said eagerly. "Of course it was, and I hit one in the leg, and the other in the hand. Did nearly as well as killing 'em, eh?" "Yes," I said, laughing. "I must practise too." "You shall, and I hope you'll have no need to use your rifle afterwards, except on bears or deer. Where are you going?" "Mr Raydon said I was to relieve one of the men." "So you shall, but the first one's got an hour yet to be on duty. I'll call you when you're wanted. How's Mr Gunson?" "I'm just going to see," I said; and I went up to the strangers' quarters and looked in, to find Mrs Dean on duty by the bedside, and Esau seated by the fire, cutting out something which he informed me was part of a trap he had invented to catch squirrels. "How is he?" I said in a low voice to Mrs Dean. "Very bad, my dear, and so weak." "But hasn't he shown any sign of recovering his senses?" "No, my dear; and it does seem so discouraging." "Never mind, mother; you'll cure him." "Hist!" I said. "Well, I am whispering, ain't I," said Esau. "He couldn't hear if I didn't." "But he must be kept quiet, Esau, and you have such a big voice. Your whispers are as loud as some people's shouts." "Hush!" I said, as I heard steps. "Mr Raydon." Mrs Dean rose and curtseyed as Mr Raydon entered, followed by Mr and Mrs John; and he looked surprised on seeing me there. "Not on duty, Gordon?" he said. "Mr Grey told me to wait till he was ready for me, sir." "Oh!--Well, Mrs Dean, how is your patient?" "Seems to sleep very calmly and gently, sir. I did think he looked at me sensibly once, but I'm not sure." "Poor fellow!" said Mr Raydon gravely, as Mrs Dean left the place, followed by Esau, while I felt as if I should like to follow them; but I stayed, knowing that if I did go, Mr Raydon would think I felt guilty at being found there, when I was only obeying his officer's orders. So I remained watching, and waiting to be called. Mr Raydon bent over the couch, and laid his hand upon his patient's head. "Nice and cool. He must be mending, and sooner or later I believe he will recover. It is time, though, that he made some sign of returning consciousness. Ah, Mayne, my lad, this is the thirst for gold with a vengeance. I dreaded it; I have dreaded it for years. Poor fellow! A thorough gentleman at heart, but his desire for wealth was his ruin." The words leaped to my lips, but I felt that all Mr Gunson had told me of his former life was in confidence; and beside, Mr Raydon's treatment did not encourage mine, so I was silent for a moment or so, gazing sadly at the thin worn face before me, and wishing that I was a clever doctor and able to cure him, when I started with surprise and pleasure, for Mr Gunson's eyes opened, and he lay looking fixedly at me for some time in the midst of a painful silence. Then a look of recognition came into his gaze, and he smiled at me faintly. "Time to get up?" he said, in a whisper. "I--" He looked quickly round then, and his face worked a little. "Where am I?--what?" he faltered. "Mayne, where am I? Ah! I remember now," he said, faintly. Mr Raydon bent over him. "Don't try to talk, Gunson. You have been ill, but you are getting better now." "Yes," he said, softly; "I remember. Struck down just now." I exchanged glances with Mr Raydon. "No, not just now, because I have been lying here. Some one nursing me--yes," he cried, with more energy, as his eyes rested on Mrs John's sympathetic face, "you." "We have all nursed you," said Mrs John, quietly. "But do not try to talk." "No," he said, decisively; "but--there is one thing--must say--my claim--the gold." I saw Mr Raydon's face pucker up, and a frown gather on his brow, but it cleared away directly, and he bent down over his patient, and laid his hand upon his forehead. "Gunson, you must be quiet," he said. "Your claim is quite safe. I have men protecting it, and no gold has been found or taken away." "Thank heaven!" sighed Gunson; and giving a grateful look round he closed his eyes, and seemed to go to sleep. "Come away now," whispered Mr Raydon. "You will stay with him?" Mrs John bowed her head, and softly took the chair by the pillow, while we all stole gently out of the room. "His first waking thought, John," said Mr Raydon, bitterly; "gold-- gold--gold. There, it is of no use to murmur: I must swallow my pet antipathy, I suppose." Once more the thought of all Mr Gunson had said to me came as words to my lips; but though my friend was being wrongly judged, I felt that I could not speak. "Some day he will know all the truth," I said, "and I must wait." Just then Grey came up. "Your time, Gordon," he said, abruptly. Then seeing our excited looks, he glanced towards the strangers' quarters. "Not worse, sir?" he said, eagerly. "No, Grey; the turn has come--better," said Mr Raydon. Grey took off his fur cap, waved it in the air, and then with a satisfied smile he marched me off. "That's what I like to hear; he'll be all right soon now. This place would set any man up. But I can't understand the gov'nor. He was always mad against any one coming about here hunting for gold, and yet somehow he seems to have quite taken to your friend, who talks about nothing else." "Yes," I said; "I can't help thinking that he likes Mr Gunson." "Oh, there's no doubt about it, my lad. We shall have him taking to gold-hunting himself one of these days." "Never," I said, decisively, as we reached my post. "Never's a long day, boy," said Grey, thoughtfully; "but I think you're right." _ |
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