it was, for his own mind was not quite easy.

"Do you think anything could have happened, Jim?" she besought pitifully
when for a moment they were alone in a corner.

"What _could_ have happened, Phyllie? Do you reckon he fell off his
hawss, and him a full-size man?" he scoffed.

"Yes, but--you don't know how Brill looked at me. I'm afraid."

"Oh, Brill!" His voice held an edge of scorn, but none the less it
concealed a real fear. He was making as much concession to it as to her
when he added lightly: "Tell you what I'll do, Phyl. I'll saddle up and
take a look back over the Bear Creek trail. Likely I'll meet him, and
we'll come in together."

Her eyes met his, and he needed no other thanks. "You'll lose the
dance," was her only comment.

Jim followed the road until it branched off to join the Bear Creek
trail. Here he deflected toward the mountains, taking the zigzag path
that ran like a winding thread among the rocks as it mounted. Now for
the first time there came to him the faint rhythmic sound of a galloping
horse's hoofs. He did not stop, and as he picked his way among the rocks
he heard for some time no more of it.

"Mr. Hurry-up-like-hell kept the road, I reckon," Jim ruminated aloud,
and even as he spoke he caught again the echo of an iron shoe striking a
rock.

He stopped and listened. Some one was climbing the trail behind him.

"Mebbe he's a friend, and then mebbe he isn't. We'll let him have the
whole road to himself, eh, Keno?"

Yeager guided his pony to the left, and took up a position behind some
huge bowlders from whence he could see without being seen. The pursuer
toiled into sight, a slim, wiry youth on a buckskin. He came forward out
of the shadows into the fretted moonlight.

Yeager gave a glad whoop of recognition. "Hi-yi, Phil!"

"You're there, are you? Did I scare you off the trail, Jim?"

"That's whatever, boy. What are you doing here?"

"Sis sent me. She got worried again, and we figured I'd better join
you."

"I reckon there's nothing serious the matter. Still, it ain't like Larry
to say he would come and then not show up."

"Brill is back there bragging about it." Phil nodded his head toward the
lights of the Frying Pan glimmering far below. "Says he knew the waddy
wouldn't show his head. You don't reckon, Jim, he's turned a trick on
Keller, do you?"

"That's what we have got to find out, Phil."

"Looks funny he'd be so durned sure when we all know how game Keller
is,"