watching the place where he had
vanished, and then as a sister might have turned to a brother, she
reached for me.

Chapter 8

THE EAVESDROPPER

We silently rode home in the gathering dusk. Miss Sampson dismounted at
the porch, but Sally went on with me to the corrals. I felt heavy and
somber, as if a catastrophe was near at hand.

"Help me down," said Sally. Her voice was low and tremulous.

"Sally, did you hear what Miss Sampson said to Steele?" I asked.

"A little, here and there. I heard Steele tell her he loved her. Isn't
this a terrible mix?"

"It sure is. Did you hear--do you understand why she appealed to Steele,
asked him to be her friend?"

"Did she? No, I didn't hear that. I heard her say she had wronged him.
Then I tried not to hear any more. Tell me."

"No Sally; it's not my secret. I wish I could do something--help them
somehow. Yes, it's sure a terrible mix. I don't care so much about
myself."

"Nor me," Sally retorted.

"You! Oh, you're only a shallow spoiled child! You'd cease to love
anything the moment you won it. And I--well, I'm no good, you say. But
their love! My God, what a tragedy! You've no idea, Sally. They've
hardly spoken to each other, yet are ready to be overwhelmed."

Sally sat so still and silent that I thought I had angered or offended
her. But I did not care much, one way or another. Her coquettish fancy
for me and my own trouble had sunk into insignificance. I did not look
up at her, though she was so close I could feel her little, restless
foot touching me. The horses in the corrals were trooping up to the
bars. Dusk had about given place to night, although in the west a broad
flare of golden sky showed bright behind dark mountains.

"So I say you're no good?" asked Sally after a long silence. Then her
voice and the way her hand stole to my shoulder should have been warning
for me. But it was not, or I did not care.

"Yes, you said that, didn't you?" I replied absently.

"I can change my mind, can't I? Maybe you're only wild and reckless when
you drink. Mrs. Hoden said such nice things about you. They made me feel
so good."

I had no reply for that and still did not look up at her. I heard her
swing herself around in the saddle. "Lift me down," she said.

Perhaps at any other time I would have remarked that this request was
rather unusual, considering the fact that she was very light and sure of
action, extremely proud of it, and likely to be insulted by