galloped across New Mexico to meet him. But she made no such confession.

"Yes, I ... like you," she said, a little tremor in her voice.

He noticed that she did not look at him. Her eyes had fallen to the
fingers laced together on her lap. Under compulsion of his steady gaze
she lifted her lashes at last. What he read there was beyond belief.
The wonder of it lifted his feet from the earth.

"Lee!" he cried, joy and fear in the balance.

She answered his unspoken question with a little nod.

His hand shook. "I've been a blind idiot, dear. I never guessed such a
thing."

"You were thinking about Polly all the time. I don't blame you. She's the
sweetest thing I ever knew."

Billie sat down on the spar of rock beside her. His hand slipped down her
arm till it covered hers. With the contact there came to him a flood of
courage. He took her in his arms and kissed her with infinite tenderness.

Still unstrung from her adventures, she wept a little into his shoulder
out of a full heart.

"D--don't mind me," she urged. "It's just because I'm so happy."

If Clanton, when he found them together a few minutes afterward, guessed
what had happened, he gave no evidence of it but a grin, unless his later
comment had a cryptic meaning. "I'll bet Billie is the glad lad at
findin' you. He always was a lucky guy."

"I think I'm a little lucky too," Lee said with a grave smile.

Before starting, Prince examined the soles of the girl's boots. Out of
his hat he fashioned a pair of overshoes and fastened them with strings
to her feet.

"They'll help some," he promised. "I reckon you're not goin' to do much
walkin' anyhow with three husky men along."

By this time the searcher on the other flank had joined them. The return
trip was a long, hard one, but with Billie on one side of her, and Jim on
the other, Lee found it easy travelling. They aided her over the sharp
rocks and lifted her across the rougher stretches of lava.

At the edge of the lava bed a buggy was waiting to take Lee to Live-Oaks
in case she should be found. Prince helped Lee in and took the place of
the boy who had driven it out.

Clanton put his foot on the hub of the wheel. "Just a minute, Billie. I'm
wanted for the killin' of Homer Webb. I didn't shoot him an' I don't
know who did. Somebody must have been lyin' there in the chaparral
waitin' for him. I'll give myself up an' stand trial if you'll guarantee
me fair play. No lynchin' bee. No packed jury. All