to Slingerland Neale had the project soberly in mind
and meant to broach it upon the first opportunity.

This morning, when Neale and King rode up to the cabin, Allie did not
appear as upon the last occasion of their arrival. Neale missed her.

Slingerland came out with his usual welcome.

"Where's Allie?" asked Neale.

"Wal, she went in jest now. She saw you comin' an' then run in to hide,
I reckon. Girls is queer critters."

"She watched for me--for us--and then ran?" queried Neale, curiously.

"Wal, she ain't done nothin' but watch fer you since you went away last.
An', son, thet's a new wrinkle fer Allie, An' run? Wal, like a skeered
deer."

"Wonder what that means?" pondered Neale. Whatever it meant, it sent
a little tingle of pleasure along his pulses. "Red, I want to have a
serious talk with Slingerland," he announced, thoughtfully.

"Shore; go ahaid an' talk," drawled the Southerner, as he slipped his
saddle and turned his horse loose with a slap on the flank. "I reckon
I'll take a gun an' stroll off fer a while."

Neale led the trapper aside to a shady spot under the pines and there
unburdened himself of his plan for the winter.

"Son, you'll freeze to death!" ejaculated the trapper.

"I must build a cabin, of course, and prepare for severe weather,"
replied Neale.

Slingerland shook his shaggy head. "I reckon you ain't knowin' these
winters hyar as I know them. But thet long ridge you call Sherman
Pass--it ain't so fur we couldn't get thar on snow-shoes except in the
wust weather. I reckon you can stay with me hyar."

"Good!" exclaimed Neale. "And now about Allie."

"Wal, what about her?"

"Shall I leave her here or send her back to Omaha with the first
caravan, or let her go to Fort Fetterman with the troops?"

"Son, she's your charge, but I say leave her hyar, 'specially now you
can be with us. She'd die or go crazy if you sent her. Why, she won't
even say if she's got a livin' relation. I reckon she hain't. She'd be
better hyar. I've come to be fond of Allie. She's strange. She's like a
spirit. But she's more human lately."

"I'm glad you say that, Slingerland," replied Neale. "What to do about
her had worried me. I'll decide right now. I'll leave her with you, and
I hope to Heaven I'm doing best by her."

"Wal, she ain't strong enough to travel fur. We didn't think of thet."

"That settles it, then," said Neale, in relief. "Time enough to decide
when she is well again.... Tell me ab