He'd brained himself on a rock.

And to this day Ladouceur hasn't married the girl, because he says Follette beat him; and that Follette's something-or-other would haunt him if he didn't play fair.

It's a queer--" He stopped and listened.

In the hall was the approaching tread of unmistakable feet.
"O'Connor," he said.
Cardigan went to the door and opened it as O'Connor was about to knock.
When the door closed again, the staff-sergeant was in the room alone with Kent.

In one of his big hands he clutched a box of cigars, and in the other he held a bunch of vividly red fire-flowers.
"Father Layonne shoved these into my hands as I was coming up," he explained, dropping them on the table.