hey followed the head waitress to a small table for two by a window.
Rose walked with the buoyant rhythm of perfect health. Her friend
noticed, as he had often done before, that she had the grace of
movement which is a corollary to muscles under perfect response.
Seated across the table from her, he marveled once more at the miracle
of her soft skin and the peach bloom of her complexion. Many times she
had known the sting of sleet and the splash of sun on her face. Yet
incredibly her cheeks did not tan nor lose their fineness.

"You haven't told me who this handsomer man is," Kirby suggested.

"Cole Sanborn." She flushed a little, but looked straight at him.
"Have you told him--about Esther?"

"No. But from somethin' he said I think he guesses."

Her eyes softened. "He's awf'ly good to Esther. I can see he likes
her and she likes him. Why couldn't she have met him first? She's so
lovable." Tears brimmed to her eyes. "That's been her ruin. She was
ready to believe any man who said he cared for her. Even when she was
a little bit of a trick when people liked her, she was grateful to them
for it and kinda snuggled up to them. I never saw a more cuddly baby."

"Have you found out anything more yet about--the man?" he asked, his
voice low and gentle.

"No. It's queer how stubborn she can be for all her softness. But she
almost told me last night. I'll find out in a day or two now. Of
course it was your uncle. The note I found was really an admission of
guilt. Your cousins feel that some settlement ought to be made on
Esther out of the estate. I've been trying to decide what would be
fair. Will you think it over and let me know what seems right to you?"

The waitress came, took their order, and departed.

"I'm goin' out to Golden to-day on a queer wild-goose chase," Kirby
said. "A man gave me a hint. He didn't want to tell me the
information out an' out, whatever it is. I don't know why. What he
said was for me to go to Golden an' look over the list of marriage
licenses for the past month or two."

Her eyes flashed an eager question at him. "You don't suppose--it
couldn't be that Esther was married to your uncle secretly and that she
promised not to tell."

"I hadn't thought of that. It might be." His eyes narrowed in
concentration. "And if Jack an' Miss Harriman had just found it out,
that would explain why they called on Uncle James the night he was
killed. Do you want to go to Gold