For a moment he listened to the beating of the ranger’s heart.  Then, seemingly with a single motion of his knife, he slit the sleeve of the ranger’s shirt.  Another motion laid open the undershirt sleeve, disclosing the arm to the shoulder.  The physician examined it closely.  The arm was swelling fast.  The physician opened his case and gave the ranger some medicine.  “Now we’ll get to bed as soon as possible,” he said, “and rest for a few days.”

Assisted by a man on either side of him, the ranger started for the waiting motor-car.

“Mr. Marlin,” said Charley, after the party had gone a few rods, “this morning Mr. Morton brought out a little wireless set that Lew made for him, as well as my big battery.  It’s back where Mr. Morton was bitten.  May I get it and set it up in the ranger’s house?  It will be a good opportunity for him to practice while he’s at home.  Mrs. Morton is learning to operate the wireless, too.  It would mean so much to both of them and to the forest as well, if they could talk to each other by wireless.”

“How long will it take you to put it up, Charley?”

“Not very long, sir.  Perhaps an hour or two.”

“I don’t like to leave the forest unprotected for a single minute at this season, Charley, but I guess we’ll take a chance on it.  Get your stuff to the road as quick as you can.  I’ll take Jim home and return for you.”

The forester hastened after the ranger’s party and Charley darted off into the forest.  At the fastest pace he could maintain he jogged along the fire trail.  In a very little time he was back at the instruments.  He took down the aerial, threw away the spreaders, uncoupled the amplifier which he needed for use himself, and replaced the little outfit in the pasteboard box.  Then he hurried back to the road, where the forester was already waiting to whirl him away to the ranger’s house.

If Charley had had any doubts whatever about his liking the ranger’s wife (though he hadn’t), they would have vanished the instant he came in sight of the ranger’s home.  It was a small, weather-beaten cottage set in the shoulder of a hill, with the forest all around it.  About the house itself was a clearing of a few acres, with a little orchard on the slope behind the house.  The home itself was enclosed by an unpainted picket fence.  Lovely old trees shaded it.  Vines clambered riotously over its soft, gray clapboards.  Well arranged shrubs and bushes had been planted here and there.  There were flowers about the base of the house and along the borders.  The grass was trimmed as neatly as a city lawn.  Even now before plant growth had started, the yard was attractive.  With pleasure Charley noted that the ranger had set out two European larches, evidently brought in from a forest plantation, at his gateway.  One glance at the inviting and neatly kept yard told Charley what he would find within the house itself.

Nor was he disappointed when he entered the door and found the house as clean as a whistle, plainly but neatly and attractively furnished, and beautiful with a wealth of flowers and plants that, had quite evidently received loving and intelligent care.  On the wall Charley instantly noted the telephone, and hanging on a nail beside it was the leather case with the ranger’s portable telephone instrument.