Esquint's bed. The doctor
made a brief examination, while Mrs. Joe sat on the floor and
howled at the top of her lungs. Then he shook his head.
"Shot in the back," he said briefly.
"How long?" asked Carey, understanding.
"Perhaps till morning," answered the doctor. Mrs. Joe gave a
louder howl than ever at this, and Tannis came and stood by the
bed. The doctor, knowing that he could do nothing for Carey,
hurried into the kitchen to attend to Paul, who had a badly
shattered arm, and Marie went with him.
Carey looked stupidly at Tannis.
"Send for her," he said.
Tannis smiled cruelly.
"There is no way. The wires are down, and there is no man at the
Flats who will go to town to-night," she answered.
"My God, I MUST see her before I die," burst out Carey
pleadingly. "Where is Father Gabriel? HE will go."
"The priest went to town last night and has not come back," said
Tannis.
Carey groaned and shut his eyes. If Father Gabriel was away,
there was indeed no one to go. Old Auguste and the doctor could
not leave Paul and he knew well that no breed of them all at the
Flats would turn out on such a night, even if they were not, one
and all, mortally scared of being mixed up in the law and justice
that would be sure to follow the affair. He must die without
seeing Elinor.
Tannis looked inscrutably down on the pale face on Mrs. Joe
Esquint's dirty pillows. Her immobile features gave no sign of
the conflict raging within her.
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