iable.

"Hello, Holley! How are you?" he replied. "Have a seat."

"Wal, I'm right spry fer an old bird. But I can't climb wuth a d--n
.... Say, this here beats Bostil's view."

"Yes, it's fine," replied Slone, rather awkwardly, as he sat down on
the porch step. What could Holley want with him? This old rider was
above curiosity or gossip.

"Slone, you ain't holdin' it ag'in me--thet I tried to shut you up the
other day?" he drawled, with dry frankness.

"Why, no, Holley, I'm not. I saw your point. You were right. But Bostil
made me mad."

"Sure! He'd make anybody mad. I've seen riders bite themselves, they
was so mad at Bostil. You called him, an' you sure tickled all the
boys. But you hurt yourself, fer Bostil owns an' runs this here Ford."

"So I've discovered," replied Slone.

"You got yourself in bad right off, fer Bostil has turned the riders
ag'in you, an' this here punchin' of Creech has turned the village
folks ag'in you. What'd pitch into him fer?"

Slone caught the kindly interest and intent of the rider, and it warmed
him as Brackton's disapproval had alienated him.

"Wal, I reckon I'd better tell you," drawled Holley, as Slone
hesitated, "thet Lucy wants to know IF you beat up Joel an' WHY you
did."

"Holley! Did she ask you to find out?"

"She sure did. The girl's worried these days, Slone.... You see, you
haven't been around, an' you don't know what's comin' off."

"Brackton was here to-day an' he told me a good deal. I'm worried,
too," said Slone, dejectedly.

"Thet hoss of yours, Wildfire, he's enough to make you hated in
Bostil's camp, even if you hadn't made a fool of yourself, which you
sure have."

Slone dropped his head as admission.

"What Creech swears he seen you do to Miss Lucy, out there among the
rocks, where you was hid with Wildfire--is there any truth in thet?"
asked Holley, earnestly. "Tell me, Slone. Folks believe it. An' it's
hurt you at the Ford. Bostil hasn't heard it yet, an' Lucy she doesn't
know. But I'm figgerin' thet you punched Joel because he throwed it in
your face."

"He did, an' I lambasted him," replied Slone, with force.

"You did right. But what I want to know, is it true what Joel seen?"

"It's true, Holley. But what I did isn't so bad--so bad as he'd make it
look."

"Wal, I knowed thet. I knowed fer a long time how Lucy cares fer you,"
returned the old rider, kindly.

Slone raised his head swiftly, incredulously. "Holley! You can't be
serious