quite up to it, so I came on
the chance that you would say 'How do you do?' to me. We have all
missed you in Limasito."

"You have become quite a native, then?" She raised her eyebrows. "You
find the life there more congenial, perhaps, than at first."

"Not since you left, my dear Billie. Or is that name forbidden?"

"It is forgotten. Only my friends may recall it, and you were never of
their number, Mr. Wiley."

"I beg your pardon. I, too, had forgotten for the moment that it must
bring you tragic memories." His voice was lowered to the tones of
conventional condolence. "Believe me, I would not have grieved you,
Miss Murdaugh. I meant it for a jest, but it was lucklessly ill-timed."

"I would rather not speak of what is past, Mr. Wiley. It is still too
fresh in my memory." Willa's eyes, fixed on the flames, were dry and
very bright.

"But now that you are here, perhaps you will tell me something of my
friends."

"Gladly, but there is little news," he responded hastily. "I have been
very busy and, as you know, nothing interests me below the border now
but my work. Your friend, Jim Baggott, is flourishing, the crowd that
bought out the Blue Chip are bringing new life to Limasito--but I have
hurt you again. I am sorry."

Willa had winced uncontrollably, but she recovered herself and smiled.

"And Mr. Thode?" She voiced her query blandly, and Wiley flushed.

"I have seen nothing of him," he responded. "To tell you the truth,
I've forgotten the very existence of the fellow. He took care to keep
out of my way after your departure until I myself went West."

"You have not come, then, directly from Mexico?"

"No. A little matter of business took me to Arizona. I may tell you
of it sometime, I am sure it would be of peculiar interest to you." He
smiled, with an odd light in his eyes. "As for Kearn Thode, if you'll
permit a little friendly advice, Miss Murdaugh, I wouldn't waste any
thoughts on him. I don't believe in discussing a chap's affairs behind
his back, but I can assure you his own memory is very short."

"Still, I do not forget my friends, Mr. Wiley, nor my enemies."

"There is much else that I would like to ask you to forget," he said
slowly. "I was a cad, I know, but I fancied that you were too broad
and generous to hold the madness of a moment against me. I hoped you
would be more kind to me when we met here in the environment in which
we both belong. I even dreamed that we mi