leaping of a thought that was neither interest nor indifference nor
contempt, but a creative thing which lent a fleeting flash to the face,
a slight shock to the body. Then Jack Belllounds bent his head, lounged
there for a little while longer, lost in absorption, and presently he
strolled away.

Whatever that mounting thought of Jack Belllounds's was it brought
instant decision to Wade. He went to the ranch-house and knocked upon
the living-room door. There was a light within, sending rays out through
the windows into the semi-darkness. Columbine opened the door and
admitted Wade. A bright fire crackled in the hearth. Wade flashed a
reassuring look at Columbine.

"Evenin', Miss Collie. Is your dad in?"

"Oh, it's you, Ben!" she replied, after her start. "Yes, dad's here."

The old rancher looked up from his reading. "Howdy, Wade! What can I do
fer you?"

"Belllounds, I've cleaned out the cats an' most of the varmints on your
range. An' my work, lately, has been all sorts, not leavin' me any time
for little jobs of my own. An' I want to quit."

"Wade, you've clashed with Jack!" exclaimed the rancher, jerking erect.

"Nothin' of the kind. Jack an' me haven't had words a good while. I'm
not denyin' we might, an' probably would clash sooner or later. But
that's not my reason for quittin'."

Manifestly this put an entirely different complexion upon the matter.
Belllounds appeared immensely relieved.

"Wal, all right. I'll pay you at the end of the month. Let's see, thet's
not long now. You can lay off to-morrow."

Wade thanked him and waited for further remarks. Columbine had fixed
big, questioning eyes upon Wade, which he found hard to endure. Again he
tried to flash her a message of reassurance. But Columbine did not lose
her look of blank wonder and gravity.

"Ben! Oh, you're not going to leave White Slides?" she asked.

"Reckon I'll hang around yet awhile," he replied.

Belllounds was wagging his head regretfully and ponderingly.

"Wal, I remember the day when no man quit me. Wal, wal!--times change.
I'm an old man now. Mebbe, mebbe I'm testy. An' then thar's thet boy!"

With a shrug of his broad shoulders he dismissed what seemed an
encroachment of pessimistic thought.

"Wade, you're packin' off, then, on the trail? Always on the go, eh?"

"No, I'm not hurryin' off," replied Wade.

"Wal, might I ask what you're figgerin' on?"

"Sure. I'm considerin' a cattle deal with Moore. He's a pretty keen b