_will_ he think of me!" she asked herself over and over again,
clasping and unclasping her cold hands. "What _can_ he think but one
thing?"

The more overwrought she became, the worse the situation seemed.

"And how he looked at me! How they all looked at me! Oh, it was too
dreadful!"

She covered her burning face with her hands.

"There isn't the slightest doubt," she went on, "but that he thinks I knew
all about it. Perhaps"--she paused in front of the mirror and stared into
her own horrified eyes--"perhaps he thinks I belong to a gang of robbers!
Maybe he thinks I am Smith's tool, or that Smith is my tool, or something
like that! Oh, whatever made him say such a thing! 'Our stake--_our_
stake'--and--'I done it for you!'"

Another thought, still more terrifying occurred to her excited mind:

"What if he should have to arrest me as an accomplice!"

She sat down weakly on the edge of the bed.

"Oh," and she rocked to and fro in misery, "if only I never had tried to
improve Smith's mind!"

The tears slipped from under the Schoolmarm's lashes, and her chin
quivered.

Worn out by the all night's vigil at her mother's bedside, and the
exciting events of the morning, Susie finally succumbed to the strain and
slept the sleep of exhaustion. It was almost supper-time when she
awakened. Passing the Schoolmarm's door, she heard a sound at which she
stopped and frankly listened. Teacher was crying!

"Ling, this is an awful world. Everything seems to be upside down and
inside out!"

"Plenty tlouble," agreed Ling, stepping briskly about as he collected
ingredients for his biscuits.

"Don't seem to make much difference whether you love people or hate 'em;
it all ends the same way--in tears."

"Plitty bad thing--love." Ling solemnly measured baking-powder. "Make
people cly."

Susie surmised correctly that Ling's ears also had been close to a nearby
keyhole.

"There'd 'a' been fewer tears on this ranch if it hadn't been for Smith."

"Many devils--Smith."

Susie sat on the corner of his work-table, and there was silence while he
deftly mixed, rolled, and cut his dough.

"Mr. Ralston intends to go away in the morning," said Susie, as the
biscuits were slammed in the oven.

Ling wagged his head dolorously.

"And they'll never see each other again."

His head continued to wag.

"Ling," Susie whispered, "we've got to _do_ something." She stepped
lightly to the open door and closed it.

*