see Kate. He checked his pace, coughed slightly and changed his
course, as if to hold himself open to inquiry. Kate without hesitation
turned to him and explained she was for Doubleday's ranch. She asked
whether he knew the men from there and whether anyone was down.

John Lefever, for it was he whom she addressed, knew the men but he had
seen no one; could he do anything?

"I want very much to get out there tonight," said Kate.

"Jingo," exclaimed Lefever, "not tonight!"

"Tonight," returned Kate, looking out of dark eyes in pink and white
appeal, "if I can possibly make it."

Lefever caught up her suitcase and set it down beside the waiting-room
door: "Stay right here a minute," he said.

He walked toward the baggage-room and before he reached it, stopped a
second large, heavy man, Henry Sawdy. Him he held in confab; Sawdy
looking meantime quite unabashed toward the distant Kate. In the light
streaming from the station windows her slender and slightly shrinking
figure suggested young womanhood and her delicately fashioned features,
half-hidden under her hat, pleasingly confirmed his impression of it.
Kate, conscious of inspection, could only pretend not to see him. And
the sole impression she could snatch in the light and shadow of the
redoubtable Sawdy, was narrowed to a pair of sweeping mustaches and a
stern-looking hat. Lefever returned, his companion sauntering along
after. Kate explained that she had telegraphed.

At that moment an odd-looking man, with a rapid, rolling, right and
left gait, ambled by and caught Kate's eye. Instead of the formidable
Stetson hat mostly in evidence, this man wore a baseball cap--of the
sort usually given away with popular brands of flour--its peak cocked
to its own apparent surprise over one ear. The man had sharp eyes and
a long nose for news and proved it by halting within earshot of the
conversation carried on between Kate and the two men. He looked so
queer, Kate wanted to laugh, but she was too far from home to dare. He
presently put his head conveniently in between Sawdy and Lefever and
offered some news of his own: "There's been a big electric storm in the
up country, Sawdy; the telephones are on the bum."

"How's she going to get to Doubleday's tonight, McAlpin?" asked Sawdy
abruptly of the newcomer. McAlpin never, under any pressure, answered
a question directly. Hence everything had to be explained to him all
over again, he looking meantime more or l