"I had no wish to wait for the jury, and you can't get at an injury that's inside me." He said nothing more, and it seemed a very long while to Corporal Payne, and Trooper Hilton, who rejoined him, before a wagon with two men in it beside the trooper came jolting up the trail.

They got out, and one of them who was busy with Courthorne for some minutes nodded to Payne.
"Any time in the next twelve hours.

He may last that long," he said.
"Nobody's going to worry him now, but I'll see if I can revive him a little when we get him to Adamson's.

It can't be more than a league away." They lifted Courthorne, who appeared insensible, into the wagon, and Payne signed to Trooper Hilton.

"Take my horse, and tell Colonel Barrington.