"Yes. If it were not for you I'm afraid our hospital would be
empty."

"It must be right pleasant to be nursed by Miss Messiter. I
reckon the boys are grateful to me for scattering my lead so
promiscuous."

"I heard one say he would like to lam your haid tenderly,"
murmured McWilliams.

"With a two-by-four, I suppose," laughed Bannister.

"Shouldn't wonder. But, looking y'u over casual, it occurs to me
he might get sick of his job befo' he turned y'u loose,"
McWilliams admitted, with a glance of admiration at the clean
power showing in the other's supple lines.

Nor could either the foreman or his mistress deny the tribute of
their respect to the bravado of this scamp who sat so jauntily
his seat regardless of what the next moment might bring forth.
Three wounded men were about the place, all presumably quite
willing to get a clean shot at him in the open. One of them had
taken his chance already, and missed. Their visitor had no
warrant for knowing that a second might not any instant try his
luck with better success. Yet he looked every inch the man on
horseback, no whit disturbed, not the least conscious of any
danger. Tall, spare, broad shouldered, this berry-brown young
man, crowned with close-cropped curls, sat at the gates of the
enemy very much at his insolent case.