ome--had taken place between the time he
had left that morning and now.

She did not know that it had been a mighty struggle of three days'
duration; that the transformation had been a slow, tortuous thing to
him. She only knew that a great change had come over him; that, in
spite of the evident strain which was upon him, there was something
gentle, respectful, considerate, in his face, back of Its exterior
hardness--a slumbering, triumphant something that made an instant
appeal to her, lighting her eyes, coloring her face, making her heart
beat with an unaccountable gladness.

"Oh," she said; "what has happened to you?"

"Nothin'," he answered, with a grave smile. "That is, nothin'--yet.
Except that I've found out what a fool I've been. But I've found it
out too late."

"No," she said, reaching the quick conclusion that he meant it was too
late for him to complete his reformation; "it is never too late."

"I think I know what you mean," he answered. "But you've got it wrong.
It's somethin' else. I've got to get out of here--got to hit the
breeze out of the country. The sheriff is after me."

She took a step backward. "What for?" she asked breathlessly.

"For killin' Al Sharp."

"Al Sharp!" she exclaimed, staring at him in amazement. "Why, you told
me that an Indian named Telza killed him!"

"That's what Sharp told me. The Taggarts claim I done it. They've
swore out a warrant. I got wind of it an' I'm gettin' out. There's no
use tryin' to fight the law in a case like this."

"But you didn't kill him!" she cried, stiffening defiantly. "You said
you didn't, and I know you wouldn't lie. They can't prove that you did
it!"

He laughed. "You're the only one that would believe me. Do you reckon
I could prove that I didn't do it? There's two against one. The
evidence is against me. The Taggarts found me in the clearing with
Sharp. I had the knife. No one else was around. I buried Sharp. The
Taggarts will swear against me. Where's my chance?"

She was silent, and he laughed again. "They've got me, I reckon--the
Taggarts have. I fancied I was secure. I didn't think they'd try to
pull off anything like this. Shows how much dependence a man can put
in anything. They don't look like they had sense enough to think of
such a thing."

He stepped away from the door and went to the table, looking down at
the dishes she had set out for him, then at her, with a regretful smile
which brought a q