rtly.

The crowd parted to let him pass. Untying his horse, he sprang into the
saddle, and not much more than an hour from the time he had arrived he
rode down the main street, past the bank where he was to leave his roll,
flat broke.

At the end of the street he turned in his saddle and looked behind him.
His satellites stood in the bar-room door, loungers loafed on the
curbstone, a woman or two drifted into the General Merchandise Store. The
Postmaster was eying him idly through his fly-specked window, and a group
of boys, who had been drawing pictures with their bare toes in the deep
white dust of the street, scowled after him because his horse's feet had
spoiled their work. His advent had left no more impression than the tiny
whirlwind in its erratic and momentary flurry. The money for which he had
sweat blood was gone. Mechanically he jambed his hands into his empty
pockets.

"Hell!" he said bitterly. "Hell!"

XVII

SUSIE HUMBLES HERSELF TO SMITH

Smith's return to the ranch was awaited with keen interest by several
persons, though for different reasons.

Bear Chief wanted to learn the whereabouts of his race-horse, and seemed
to find small comfort in Ralston's assurance that the proper authorities
had been notified and that every effort would be made to locate the stolen
ponies.

Dora was troubled that Smith's educational progress should have come to
such an abrupt stop; and she felt not a little hurt that he should
disappear for such a length of time without having told her of his going,
and disappointed in him, also, that he would permit anything to interfere
with the improvement of his mind.

Susie's impatience for his return increased daily. Her chagrin over being
outwitted by Smith was almost comical. She considered it a reflection upon
her own intelligence, and tears of mortification came to her eyes each
time she discussed it with Ralston. He urged her to be patient, and tried
to comfort her by saying:

"We have only to wait, Susie."

"Yes, I thought that before, and look what happened."

"The situation is different now."

"But maybe he'll reform and we'll never get another crack at him," she
said dolefully.

Ralston shook his head.

"Don't let that disturb you. Take certain natures under given
circumstances, and you can come pretty near foretelling results. Smith
will do the same thing again, only on a bigger scale; that is, unless he
learns that he has been found out. He won't