The Valley of Silent Men

ng it. He had read young Mercer like a book. Mercer's nervousness and the increased tightening of the thing in his chest had given him warning. The thing was going to happen soon, and Fath

ere now. He stared. The missioner remained in the doorway, hesitating, as if at the last moment a great fear held him back. For an interval the eyes of the two

me out of a dream," he said, "a day-dream. I've had

, Jimmy," replied the little missi

rce

ntially. The poor boy must have f

essing it to you. I'm rather glad. And

but a bit huskily, "has it ever occurred t

to his eyes, found his brain all at once like a black room suddenly illuminated by a flash o

u don't

n a voice so strange that it did not seem to be his own.

ainst his pillows. "LIVE!" H

ath, gave way slowly to the mighty reaction. He felt in those moments like a reeling man. He opened his eyes, and there was a meaningless green haze through the window where the world should have been. But he heard Father Layonne's voic

obably have made. What he had taken to be the aneurismal blood-rush was an exaggerated heart murmur, and the increased thickening in his c

senses readjusted themselves, before the world through the window pieced itself into shape again. At least he thought he was laughing. He must-not-blame-Cardigan! What an a

Father Layonne again, with his white, tense face and eyes in which were still seated the fear an

Cardigan think it would hav

hand. "I don't know, Jimmy, I don't

suddenly growing rigid against his pillows

WORLD! I want to go back to it. It's ten times more precious to me now than it was. Why should I blame Cardigan? Mon

ps. It was a choking cry, a cry, not of rej

heaven, mon pere, d

er seen James Kent before. It was a look born suddenly of shock, the shock of amazement, of incredulity

immy," he said. "An

was chilled now by the thing he sensed in Father Layonne's voice and saw in his fa

believe me

s had returned. "I must believe, for your sake. But it is not a matter of human sentiment now, lad. It is

t that rose above all others. No matter what happened to him a month or six months from now, he was not going to die today. He would live to receive Mercer's report. He would live to stand on his feet again and to fight for the life which he had thrown away. He was, above everything else, a fighting man. It was born in him to fight, not so much against his fellow men as against the overwhelming odds of adventure as they came to him. And now he was up against the deadliest game of all. He saw it. He felt it. The thing gripped

oing to die! She had hinted the fact, and he, like a blundering idiot, had failed to catch the significance of it. She had

ddenly on Fa

ed! I lied to save Sandy McTrigger, and I shall tell them why. If Doctor Cardiga

er Layonne quietly, "but I should not act in has

ere? I have that. I have the story. And yet-" He smiled a bit disma

ose details, coupled with the facts that you were seen at John Barkley's earlier

ley's to look over an old map he had made of the Porcupine country twenty years ago. He

ioner nodded, b

, I suppose I ought to keep quiet and allow myself to be hung without making any disturbance. Die game, and all that, you know. Then there is the other way of looking at it. This poor neck of mine depends on me. It has given me a lot of good ser

enduring thing. He might grieve for James Kent, he might pray for the salvation of his soul, he might believe him guilty, yet he still bore for him the affec

ied. I can see my error. It will be a terrible fight. If you win, I shall be glad. If you lose, I know that you will lose bravely. Perhaps you are right. It may

ded. "Ye

ed to hesitate an instant, as if again to call upon

was not a deadly thing, the tightening in his chest was less uncomfortable. He felt like getting up and meeting his visitors on his feet. Every nerve in his body wanted action, and the minutes of silence which followed the closing of the door

, was the reply to Kent's nod and salute. Never had he seen Kedsty's face more like the face of an emotionless sphinx. But what disturbed him most was the presence of people he had not expected. Close behind Kedsty was McDougal, the magistrate, and behind McDougal entered Constables Felly an

it was the Law. He realized this as his eyes traveled from Kedsty's rock-like face to the expressionless immobility of his old friends, Constables Pelly and Brant. If there was sympathy, it was hidden except in the faces of Cardig