interest. Of late years she had purposely avoided men, and
circumstances had not permitted her to study those few she had been
forced to meet; but now that fate had thrown her into the company of
this stranger, she permitted some play to her curiosity.

Physically Law was of an admirable make--considerably over six feet in
height, with wide shoulders and lean, strong limbs. Although his face
was schooled to mask all but the keenest emotions, the deftness of his
movements was eloquent, betraying that complete muscular and nervous
control which comes from life in the open. A pair of blue-gray,
meditative eyes, with a whimsical fashion of wrinkling half-shut when
he talked, relieved a countenance that otherwise would have been a
trifle grim and somber. The nose was prominent and boldly arched, the
ears large and pronounced and standing well away from the head; the
mouth was thin-lipped and mobile. Alaire tried to read that bronzed
visage, with little success until she closed her eyes and regarded the
mental image. Then she found the answer: Law had the face and the head
of a hunter. The alert ears, the watchful eyes, the predatory nose were
like those of some hunting animal. Yes, that was decidedly the
strongest impression he gave. And yet in his face there was nothing
animal in a bad sense. Certainly it showed no grossness. The man was
wild, untamed, rather than sensual, and despite his careless use of the
plains vernacular he seemed to be rather above the average in education
and intelligence. At any rate, without being stupidly tongue-tied, he
knew enough to remain silent when there was nothing to say, and that
was a blessing, for Mrs. Austin herself was not talkative, and idle
chatter distressed her.

On the whole, when Alaire had finished her analysis she rather resented
the good impression Law had made upon her, for on general principles
she chose to dislike and distrust men. Rising, she walked painfully to
the pond and made a leisurely toilet.

Breakfast was ready when she returned, and once more the man sat upon
his heels and smoked while she ate. Alaire could not catch his eyes
upon her, except when he spoke, at which time his gaze was direct and
open; yet never did she feel free from his intensest observation.

After a while she remarked: "I'm glad to see a Ranger in this county.
There has been a lot of stealing down our way, and the Association men
can't seem to stop it. Perhaps you can."

"The Rangers have