Page 162 - A Little Bush Maid

Tn the fresh air the men had laid the tamer down gently, and a doctor was
bending over him examining him by the flickering light of torches held by

hands that found it hard to be steady.

"Not so much damaged as he might be," the doctor announced, rising.
"That shoulder will take a bit of healing, but he looks healthy. His padded
uniform has saved his life. Let’s get him to the private hospital up the street.

Everything necessary is there, and T’d like to have his shoulder dressed
before he regains consciousness."

The men lifted the improvised stretcher again, and passed on with it. Norah
and her father were following, when a voice called them. The wife of the

circus proprietor ran after them-- a strange figure enough, in her scarlet
riding dress, the paint on her face streaked with tear marks.

"T’d like to know who you are," she said, catching Norah’s hand. "But for
you my man ’ud ’a been in the ring with that brute. None of us had the sense

to think o’ bringin’ in the cubs. Tell me your name, dearie."

Norah told her unwillingly. "Nothing to make a fuss over," she added, in
great confusion.

"T guess you saved Joe’s life, an’ perhaps my Dave’s as well," the woman
said. "We won’t forget you. Good night, sir, an’ thank you both."

Norah had no wish to be thanked, being of opinion that she had done less
than nothing at all. She was feeling rather sick, and--amazing feeling for

Norah--inclined to cry. She was very glad to get into bed at the hotel, and
eagerly welcomed her father’s suggestion that he should sit for a while in

her room. Norah did not know that it was dawn before Mr. Linton left his
watch by the restless sleeper, quiet now, and sought his own couch.

She woke late, from a dream of lions and elephants, and men who moaned
softly. Her father was by her bedside.

"Breakfast, lazy bones," he said.