Page:The trail of the golden horn.djvu/172

168 until he was certain that she was asleep. He then knelt upon the floor by her side, and remained a long time in silent prayer. Tom and Kate sat upon the floor, and with bowed heads waited for the missionary to rise. When he did so, he turned to the faithful natives, and in a low voice told them to summon him when Zell awoke. He then left the building with the intention of going to his own house. But Tom followed close behind, and when the door had been closed, he touched the missionary reverently upon the arm.

“Will Zell get well, Gikhi?” he asked in the Indian tongue.

“Let us hope so,” Norris replied, stopping and looking at the native. “I have asked the Good Lord to make her well, so we must leave everything in His hands now. He will do what is best, never doubt.”

“But the Good Lord didn’t make her that way, Gikhi. He had nothing to do with it.”

“I suppose not, but He can cure her, nevertheless.”

“Did you hear her speak about Bill, Gikhi?”

“I did. She seemed to be very much afraid of him.”

“He is a bad man, Gikhi. Will the Good Lord punish him?”

“Most likely He will. The Judge of all the earth will do right.”

“But doesn’t the good Lord often leave us to judge and punish, Gikhi?”

He often does, Tom, when it is necessary. But in this case there is nothing we can do. We do not know who Bill is, so how can we punish him? If the Police knew what he did they might track him down.”

“But doesn’t Gikhi know? It was Bill who stole his grub and money.”