might kill you!"

"That's the point."

"Nevertheless," she persisted, "I could if I _wanted_ to."

"No matter how you put it, it's all the same--you can't want to."

"No, but suppose I were bound to keep you from doing something--like
serving papers, for instance."

His legs were crossed under him and he was tossing bits of the gravel
under his hand: "You'd have a better show to do that if you went at it in
another way."

"What way?"

"Well--by asking me not to serve them, for instance."

"Do you mean to say if I asked you not to serve papers you wouldn't do
it?" She eyed him with simulated indignation.

He returned her gaze unafraid: "Try it," was his answer.

She took a deep breath. Then she tossed her head: "I probably shouldn't
care enough about it for that. Why don't you carry two revolvers?"

"Too much like baggage."

"Wouldn't it be a lot safer?"

He smiled: "If one gun refused to go off promptly, two wouldn't help a
lot."

Her eyes and her thoughts returned to the gun in her hand. For a moment
she had forgotten it. Suppose her finger, while she was talking, had
mechanically closed on the trigger. She blanched. "Take it," she said,
holding the gun out in both hands and looking away.

"Shall we let the dog go this time?" she heard him ask as he lowered the
hammer.

CHAPTER VII

THE CLOSE OF THE DAY

They rode straight home. On the way Dick went lame and both dismounted
to examine him. "This will make you miss your train," she suggested,
hypocritically.

He had Dick's foot up. His comment on the remark was very like the
rest of his comments. "Not this," he said--and without looking up.

"Do you mean to say you've missed it anyway?" asked Kate.

"What does the sun say?"

She bit her lip: "Too bad," she exclaimed, looking across the distance
that still lay between them and the Junction.

"I don't see anything wrong with his foot," he announced, completing
his inspection. "I think he wrenched himself."

He said no more till they started again. And then resumed in his odd
way just where they had left off talking: "I've been trying to figure
out why you wanted me to miss the train." She looked at him in
surprise. "I think you did want me to," he continued. "But I can't
figure out why."

She protested, but not with too many words. She felt sure he was not
easily to be deceived. In any case, however, he was unflinchingly
amiable.

After they got back to the Junct