t up before the girl took matters into her
own hand, and come out on a hunt for this Frank Cameron. How she
happened to sink her rope on you instead, and take her turns before she
found out her mistake, you'll have to ask her--if you ever see her
again.

"But this much you told me--and I think you got it straight. The girl
was willing to marry you--or Frank Cameron--so he could get what
belonged to him. She wasn't going to do any more, though, and you told
me"--Rock's manner became very impressive here--"that you promised her,
as a man and a gentleman, that you wouldn't ever bother her, and that
she was to travel her own trail, and she didn't want the money. She just
wanted to dodge that fool will, seems like. Strikes me I'd a let the
fellow go plumb to Guinea, if I was in her place, but women get queer
notions of duty, and the like of that, sometimes. Looks to me like a
fool thing for a woman to do, anyway."

Though they talked a good while about it, that was all the real
information which Ford could gain. He would have to find the minister
and persuade him to show the record of the marriage, and after that he
would have to find the girl.

Before they reached that definite conclusion, the storm which had been
brewing for several days swooped down upon them, and drove Ford to the
alternative of riding in the teeth of it to town, which was not only
unpleasant but dangerous, if it grew any worse, or retracing his steps
to the Double Cross and waiting there until it was over. So that is what
he did, with Rock to bear him willing company.

They met Dick and Curly on the way, and though Ford stopped them and
suggested that they turn back also, neither would do so. Curly intimated
plainly that the joys of town were calling to him from afar, and that
facing a storm was merely calculated to make his destination more
alluring by contrast. "Turn back with two months' wages burning up my
inside pocket? Oh, no!" he laughed, and rode on. Dick did not say why,
but he rode on also. Ford turned in the saddle and looked after them, as
they disappeared in a swirl of fine snow.

"That's what I ought to do," he said, "but I'm not going to do it, all
the same."

"Which only goes to prove," bantered Rock, "that the Double Cross pulls
harder than all the preacher could tell you. I wonder if there isn't a
girl at the Double Cross, now!"

"There is," Ford confessed, with a grin of embarrassment. "And you shut
up."

"I just had a hunc