apprised
Hagar of the coming of her visitor. Hagar's first words were:

"Did you hear? Rex Randerson killed Kelso."

"I heard about it some days ago," said Ruth. "It's horrible!"

"What do you reckon is horrible about it?" questioned Hagar, with a queer
look at her friend.

"Why," returned Ruth, surprised; "the deed itself! The very thought of
one human being taking the life of another!"

"There's worse things than killin' a man that's tryin' to make you
shuffle off," declared Hagar evenly. "Rex Randerson wouldn't kill nobody
unless they made him do it. An' accordin' to what dad says, Kelso pulled
first. Rex ain't lettin' nobody perforate _him_, you bet!"

"He is too ready with his pistol."

The girl caught the repugnance in Ruth's voice. "I thought you kind of
liked Randerson," she said.

Ruth blushed. "What made you think that?" she demanded.

"I've heard that you've gone ridin' with him a lot. I just reckoned it."

"You are mistaken, Hagar. I do not like Randerson at all. He is my range
boss--that is all. A murderer could never be a friend to me."

A shadow came over Hagar's face. "Rex Randerson has got a clean heart,"
she said slowly. She stood looking at Ruth, disappointment plain in her
eyes. The disappointment was quickly succeeded by suspicion; she caught
her breath, and the hands that were under her apron gripped each other
hard.

"I reckon you'll take up with Masten again," she said, trying to control
her voice.

Ruth looked intently at her, but she did not notice the girl's emotion
through her interest in her words.

"What do you mean by 'again'?"

"I heard that you'd broke your engagement."

"Who told you that?" Ruth's voice was sharp, for she thought Randerson
perhaps had been talking.

Hagar blushed crimson and resorted to a lie. "My dad told me. He said
he'd heard it."

"Well, it isn't true," Ruth told her firmly; "I have never broken with
Mr. Masten. And we are to be married soon."

She turned, for she was slightly indignant at this evidence that the
people in the country near her had been meddling with her affairs, and
she did not see the ashen pallor that quickly spread over Hagar's face.
Had Ruth been looking she must have suspected the girl's secret. But it
took her some time to mount her pony, and then looking back she waved her
hand at Hagar, who was smiling, though with pale and drawn face.

Hagar stood rigid on the porch until she could no longer see Ruth. Then
she sank