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Gitney may be badly needed here, if a fight opens," Tom mused aloud. "He says, if we need him, to send for him." "Come through a hot fire?" Tom gasped. "Surely! Doc Gitney is a Colorado man, born and bred. He doesn't mind a lead shower when it comes in the line of duty," laughed Harry. "Now, if you're through using me as a messenger, I'm going to find a rifle." "You won't succeed," Tom retorted.
Gitney to follow me as soon as he could." "How does it seem to know that you have only to beckon and that men must follow?" laughed Joe Grant. It is doubtful whether Tom, gazing at the chief's big tent, even heard. Presently Dr. Gitney stepped outside and came toward them. "Doctor," began Tom, "will you give me your word of honor that Mr. Thurston is in his right mind?"
"Men," called Tom striding over to the little party of rodmen, "tell me where the nearest physician is to be found." "Doe Jitney, at Bear's Cave," replied one of the men. "How far is that?" "Fourteen miles, by the trail." "Get on to a pony, then, and go after Dr. Gitney. Bring him here and tell him we'll want him here for the present.
He saw Blaisdell, and pronounced the assistant engineer a very sick man. Shortly after midnight Mr. Thurston rode into camp. He tottered from saddle and reeled until Tom, on the lookout for him, ran forward and supported the chief engineer to his tent. Then Dr. Gitney was sent for and came. "Your chief has mountain fever, too," said the medical attendant to Tom, after stepping outside the tent.
Gitney had arranged arrived in camp. Thereafter the physician had a little opportunity for rest. Mr. Thurston reached the delirium stage in his illness that forenoon. "Reade, I don't feel like going out this morning," announced 'Gene Black, approaching the young head of the camp after early breakfast. "What's the matter?" Tom asked pleasantly. "I have rather a bad headache," complained Black.
"Gentlemen, it's time to leave," warned Dr. Gitney, watching his patient. "One moment more, Doc," insisted the chief engineer feebly. "Gentlemen, you've heard what has just been said. Will everyone of you pledge himself on his honor to drop all feeling that might interfere?
"How long will it take them to get well?" asked Wade anxiously. "Weeks! Hard to say," replied the physician vaguely. "Weeks!" groaned Tom Reade. "And the camp now in charge of Jack Rutter, who's a fine workman but no leader! Doc Gitney doesn't know it, but he has sentenced the S.B. & L. railroad to death!" It was a trying situation.
The cub engineer felt it keenly, for he had set his heart on seeing the S.B. & L. win out over its rival. Then, too, all in a flash, the memory of 'Gene Black's treachery to his employers came back to the mind of Tom Reade. Tom didn't sleep that night. He sat by, silently, in the big tent, nursing the patient as Dr. Gitney directed. In the morning, at five, Matt Rice came.
"If you don't, you'll make me five times more ill than I am at present." Watching the fever glow in the man's face deepen, and feeling the pulse go up several beats per minute, Dr. Gitney replied: "There, there, Thurston. Be good, and I'll let you have three minutes with your engineers." "That's all I ask," murmured the sick man eagerly. Dr. Gitney went outside and rounded them up.
"Very few other young men would have been equal to making the greatest and best use of what accident revealed," insisted Mr. Newnham warmly. Harry Hazelton came now, from the hole in the ground, to report that Dr. Gitney had done all he could for the comfort of poor young Reynolds.
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