I will do what I can," she promised.

Now that she had succeeded, Mrs. Hastings lost no time, and they set out
for the Creighton homestead next day. Soon after they reached the house
she contrived that Sally should be left alone with Agatha. The two girls
stood outside the house together when Agatha turned to her companion.

"Sally," she said, "there is something that I must tell you."

Sally glanced at her face, and then walked forward until the log barn
hid them from the house. She sat down upon a pile of straw and motioned
to Agatha to take a place beside her.

"Now," she observed sharply, "you can go on; it's about Gregory, I
suppose."

Agatha, who found it very difficult to begin, though she had been well
primed by Hastings on the previous evening, sat down in the straw, and
looked about her for a moment or two. It was a hot afternoon, dazzlingly
bright, and almost breathlessly still. In front of her the dark green
wheat rolled waist-high, and beyond it the vast sweep of grass stretched
back to the sky-line. Far away a team and a wagon slowly moved across
the prairie, but that was the only sign of life, and no sound from the
house reached them to break the heavy stillness.

She finally nerved herself to the effort, and spoke earnestly for
several minutes before she glanced at Sally. It was evident that Sally
had understood all that had been said, for she sat very still with a
hard, set face.

"Oh!" Sally exclaimed, "if I'd thought you'd come to tell me this
because you were vexed with me, I'd know what to do."

This was what Agatha had dreaded. It certainly looked as if she had come
to triumph over her rival's humiliation, but Sally made it clear that
she acquitted her of that intention.

"Still," said Sally, "I know that wasn't the reason, and I'm not mad
with--you. It hurts"--she made an abrupt movement--"but I know it's
true."

She turned to Agatha suddenly. "Why did you do it?"

"I thought you might save Gregory, if I told you."

"That was all?" Sally looked at her with incredulous eyes.

"No," answered Agatha simply, "that was only part. It did not seem right
that Gregory should go against Wyllard's wishes, and gamble the Range
away on the wheat market."

She admitted it without hesitation, for she realized now exactly what
had animated her to seek this painful interview. She was fighting
Wyllard's battle, and that fact sustained her.

Sally winced. "Yes" she agreed, "I guess you had to tell