will soon be here, so I must be ready to receive them. Help me to my chair, please.”
Seeing how thoroughly determined the old man was, the doctor did as he was requested, and assisted him to his chair which Hugo had drawn up close to the stove. Wearily the missionary sank down and his head drooped forward. Marion at once brought him a drink of hot broth which when he had taken he felt stronger.
“Thank you so much,” he murmured. “You are all very good to me. I shall be stronger in a few minutes. I am weaker than I thought I was. Now, about the ring. You gave it to me, Hugo, to keep. But it was stolen by Bill, the Slugger. When I wouldn’t give it to him, he shot me. That is all I remember. He must have taken it from my pocket.”
“A cry from Zell startled them. The girl was standing before the missionary with an expression of great fear upon her face.
“What is the matter, dear?” Marion asked, going to her side.
“It was Bill who killed Bill Haines and his wife,” she said in a hoarse whisper. “Tim told me so. But don’t let Bill know that I told you, or he will kill me.”
“Don’t you worry about that, girl,” Hugo replied. “Bill won’t touch you. He’ll have all that he can attend to without meddling with you.”
Just at that moment the door suddenly opened and Kate entered. She was unusually excited, and the expression upon her face was one of great joy. She crossed the room and stood before the missionary.
“Injun come,” she said. “More bimeby.”
“I know it, Kate,” was the quiet reply. “The Lord told me that they were coming. Heat the church and ring the bell at service time.”
