r were, how to set him right with the church, and how
begin all over again. Hartigan's idea was to go openly before the whole
congregation with a humble apology, and publicly promise to abstain from
drink forever. Belle vetoed this emphatically.

"Never rub your head in the mud," she said. "You make your peace with
God first, then with Dr. Jebb, and the deacons. Pay no attention to any
one else. There will be some talk for a while, but it will die away.

"You don't know the Black Hills as I do, Jim. People out here don't take
things quite so seriously as eastern folk. Many a western preacher
carries a flask of brandy as snakebite antidote or chill cure. Not long
ago I heard of a minister up north who was held for horse-stealing. Yes,
more than once. And how he explained it, I don't know: but he is
preaching yet. I don't mean to make light of these things, Jim, but I
want to keep you from a kind of reparation which will be more of a shock
to the people than what they now know. We must have some sense of
proportion. Since there was no public scandal, you will find that the
whole matter will be overlooked."

Belle was right; he knew she was; and later events proved it.

Most men propose when they find "the one woman"; but some don't. Many
marriages take place without any formal proposal. The man and the woman
come together and discover such sympathy, such need of each other, that
they assume much that remains unspoken. Nothing was said of love or
marriage on that journey from Deadwood, but James Hartigan and Belle
Boyd were conscious of a bond that happily and finally became complete.
Thenceforth he made no move without consulting her; thenceforth she had
no plans in which he was not more than half.

They were ten miles from Cedar Mountain when the last change was made.
Those who noted their arrival some while later saw Belle ride up the
Main Street with her aunt, and tie up at her father's door. Twenty
minutes later Hartigan rode beside the doctor's rig to his home, at the
other side of the town.

CHAPTER XXI

The Ordeal

Jim went at once to Dr. Jebb's to report. Mrs. Jebb opened the door,
greeted him with a hearty handshake, and was more than usually cordial.
Dr. Jebb was kind, but embarrassed. He offered Jim a chair and began
nervously:

"There was a rumour--there--that is--we missed you on Sunday."

Jim, with characteristic directness, said: "Doctor, I'll tell you all
about it." Just then there was