k there."

"Indeed?" They had reached the cottage and the subject was
discontinued. Agnes lingered a moment on the veranda. "I suppose I'm
never to see anything of you?"

"That's just it, Agnes. It makes me feel like a cad to have you out
here--and then not to be able to provide any entertainment for you.
And, really, there's no need to worry about me. I'm all right--with
the exception of this broken arm. And it'll be all right in a couple
of weeks. Besides, there's no telling what may happen. You can see
from the burning of this mill that there isn't any love lost between
Thayer and myself."

"Why, Barry! You don't think he had anything to do with it?"

"I know he did. Directly or indirectly, he was back of it. I haven't
had much of a chance to talk to you, Agnes, but this much is a
certainty: Thayer is my enemy, for business reasons. I know of no
other. He believes that if he can make the going rough enough for me
that I'll quit, lease him my stumpage, and let him go into business for
himself. So far, he hasn't had much luck--except to tie me up. He may
beat me; I don't know. Then again, he may not. But in the meanwhile,
you can see, Agnes, that the battlefield is going to be no place for a
woman."

"But, Barry, you're wrong. I think you've done an injustice to--"

"Please don't tell me that, Agnes. I put so much faith in your
beliefs. But in this case, I've heard it from his own lips--I've seen
his telegrams. I know!"

The woman turned quickly. For a moment she examined, in an absent sort
of way, the blossoms of a climbing rose, growing, quite uninvited, up
the porch pillar of the cottage. Then:

"Maybe you're right, Barry. Probably I will go away. But I want to be
sure that you're all right first."

"Would you care to go to the village to-night? There's a picture show
there--and we could at least get a dish of ice cream and some candy."

"I think not," came the answer in a tired voice. "It's so far;
besides, all this excitement has given me a headache. Go back to your
work and forget about me. I think that I'll go to bed immediately I've
had something to eat."

"You're not ill?"

"Only a headache--and with me, bed is always the best place for that.
I suppose you'll go to Denver in the morning for new saws?"

"Yes."

"Then I'll wait until you return before I make up my mind. Good-by."
She bent forward to be kissed, and Barry obeyed the command of her lips
with less of