She lit a lamp, and drew the window curtain, so that none could see
from the outside. While the old doctor arranged his instruments and
bandages on chairs, she waited on him. He noticed how white she was,
for he said, not unkindly:

"I don't want two patients right now, Arlie. If you're going to keel
over in a faint right in the middle of it, I'll have Dick help."

"No, no, I won't, doc. Truly, I won't," she promised.

"All right, little girl. We'll see how game you are. Dick, hold the
light. Hold it right there. See?"

The Texan had ceased talking, and was silent, except for a low moan,
repeated at regular intervals. The doctor showed Arlie how to
administer the anaesthetic after he had washed the wound. While he was
searching for the bullet with his probe she flinched as if he had
touched a bare nerve, but she stuck to her work regardless of her
feelings, until the lead was found and extracted and the wound
dressed.

Afterward, Dick found her seated on a rock outside crying
hysterically. He did not attempt to cope with the situation, but
returned to the house and told Lee.

"Best thing for her. Her nerves are overwrought and unstrung. She'll
be all right, once she has her cry out. I'll drift around, and jolly
her along."

The doctor presently came up and took a seat beside her.