nd Judge Graney. Have Norton and the
Judge been talking?"

"They haven't talked to me," she assured him with a demure smile. "You
see," she added, "you were a stranger in Dry Bottom, and after you left
the Fashion you went right down to the court house. I knew Judge Graney
had been your father's friend. And then I saw Neil Norton coming into
town with the buckboard." She laughed. "You see, it wasn't very hard to
add two and two."

"Why, no," Hollis agreed, "it wasn't. But how did you happen to see me
go down to the court house?"

"Why, I watched you!" she returned. And then suddenly aware of her
mistake in admitting that she had felt an interest in him at their first
meeting, she lowered her gaze in confusion and stood, kicking with her
booted toe into a hummock, her face suddenly very red.

The situation might have been embarrassing for her had not her brother
created a diversion by suddenly sighing and struggling to sit up. The
girl was at his side in an instant, assisting him. The young man's
bewilderment was pitiful. He sat silent for a full minute, gazing first
at his sister and then at Hollis, and finally at his surroundings. Then,
when a rational gleam had come into his eyes he bowed his head, a blush
of shame sweeping over his face and neck.

"I expect I've been at it again," he muttered, without looking up.

The girl leaned over him, reassuring him, patting his face lovingly,
letting him know by all a woman's arts of the sympathy and love she bore
for him. Hollis watched her with a grim, satisfied smile. If he had had
a sister he would have hoped that she would be like her. He stepped
forward and seized the young man by the arm, helping him to his feet.

"You are right now," he assured him; "there has been no harm done."

Standing, the young man favored Hollis with a careful inspection. He
flushed again. "You're the man that rode through the draw," he said. "I
saw you and thought you were one of Dunlavey's men. I shot at you once,
and was going to shoot again, but something cracked in my head. I hope I
didn't hit you." Embarrassment again seized him; his eyes drooped. "Of
course you are not one of Dunlavey's men," he added, "or you wouldn't be
here, talking to sis. No friend of Dunlavey's could do that." He looked
at the girl with a tender smile. "I don't know what I'd do if it wasn't
for her," he added, speaking to Hollis. "But I expect it's a good thing
that I'm not crazy all the time." He looked sear