in' the worst of it."

They were well along on the way, passing through a rough and outcast
stretch of country, where upheaved ledges stood on edge, and great
blocks of stone poised menacingly on the brows of shattered cliffs, when
Smith, who had been looking sharply ahead, pulled in suddenly and turned
to Agnes with apologetic questioning in his eyes. It seemed to her that
he had something on his mind which he was afraid to put into words.

"What is it, Mr. Smith?" she asked.

"I was just goin' to say, would you mind goin' inside and lettin' that
doctor man take your place for a while?"

Smith doubtless had his reason, she thought, although it hurt her pride
that he should withhold his confidence. But she yielded her place
without further questioning, with a great amount of blushing over the
stocking which a protruding screwhead was responsible for her showing to
Dr. Slavens as he assisted her to the ground.

The sudden stop, the excitement incident to changing places, threw the
women within the coach into a cackle.

"Is it robbers?" demanded Mrs. Reed, getting hold of June's hand and
clinging to it protectingly as she put her head out and peered up at
Smith, who was sitting there stolidly, his eyes on the winding trail
ahead, his foot on the brake.

"No, ma'am," answered Smith, not looking in her direction at all.

"What is it, then?" quavered Mrs. Mann from the other side of the
stage.

She could not see Smith, and the desolation of their surroundings set
her fancy at work stationing dusty cowboy bandits behind each riven,
lowering stone.

"Oh, I _hope_ it's robbers!" said June, bouncing up and down in her
seat. "That would be just fine!"

"Hush, hush!" commanded her mother, shaking her correctively. "Such a
wicked wish!"

Milo Strong, the teacher from Iowa, had grown very pale. He buttoned his
coat and kept one hand in the region of his belt. One second he peered
wildly out of the windows on his side, the next he strained to see if
devastation and ruin were approaching from the other.

"Smith doubtless had some very commonplace reason for making the
change," said William Bentley, making room for Agnes beside him. "I
expect Miss Horton talked too much."

With that the stage started and their fears subsided somewhat. On the
box Smith was looking sharply at the doctor. Then he asked:

"Can you drive better than you can shoot, or shoot better than you can
drive?"

"I guess it's about a stand-off," r