ider was now close at hand, for Madison's voice was heard in all
the fullness of its rich, deep tones:

"Hello, girlie! How's everything?"

"Fine!" she called back. "Do hurry."

"Tell that to this horse, will you? The word 'hurry' is not in his
dictionary."

"I'm coming down to meet you," she called again.

"All right!" came the answer.

Turning quickly to Brockton, like a spoilt child, pleading for a favor,
she said demurely:

"You don't care. You'll wait, won't you?"

"Sure," replied the broker laconically.

The girl ran nimbly down the stairs of the terrace, and disappeared
among the cactus bushes.

CHAPTER VII.

Brockton leaned over the balustrade trying, through the increasing
dusk, to catch a glimpse of the girl's slender form, as in her light
summer gown she flitted among the trees. The autumn afternoon was now
far advanced. The shadows of approaching night were already falling
across the Pass. The golden glow that tinged the distant snow-clad
peaks grew deeper in color. The lights were rapidly fading to beautiful
opalescent hues.

It was only by the exercise of the greatest self-control that the
broker had retained his composure. What the girl had just told him was
a staggering and unexpected blow. Underneath the man's stolid,
business-like manner, there was a big heart. He was selfish and
comfort-loving, like most men of his class and opportunities, but he
was far from being as callous and blase as he pretended. He had grown
to be very fond of Laura. He knew that up to this time and during her
whole career he was the first man who had had any real influence over
her. Since the day when they first became pals, he had always
dominated, and while his moral teaching left much to be desired, he had
always endeavored to keep her semi-respectable in the bohemian,
unconventional kind of life she had elected to lead. His coming all the
way from New York to Denver to accompany her home--for the business at
Kansas City was, of course, only a pleasant fiction--was proof of his
keen interest in the girl. And what a disappointment awaited him! He
had come after her, only to find that she had drifted away from him.
What perhaps made matters worse, he could not in the least object to
the manner of her going. She had been absolutely fair and square in her
agreement with him. If this new love affair really meant new life to
her, respectability, happiness, he would be worse than a cad to stand
in her way.