f passion and hatred in which clear thoughts, schemes,
plans, plots, were swallowed and lost. He wanted to come into physical
contact with the men and things that were thwarting him; he wanted to feel
the thud and jar of blows; to catch the hot breath of open antagonism; he
yearned to feel the strain of muscles--this fighting in the dark with
courts and laws and lawyers, according to rules and customs, filled him
with a raging impotence that hurt him. And then, at the end of two weeks
came a telegram from Judge Graney, saying merely: "Be patient. It's a long
trail."

Trevison got on Nigger and returned to the Diamond K.

The six o'clock train arrived in Manti that evening with many passengers,
among whom was a woman of twenty-eight at whom men turned to look the
second time. Her traveling suit spoke eloquently of that personal quality
which a language, seeking new and expressive phrases describes as "class."
It fitted her smoothly, tightly, revealing certain lines of her graceful
figure that made various citizens of Manti gasp. "Looks like she'd been
poured into it," remarked an interested lounger. She lingered on the
station platform until she saw her trunks safely deposited, and then,
drawing her skirts as though fearful of contamination, she walked,
self-possessed and cool, through the doorway of the _Castle_
hotel--Manti's aristocrat of hostelries.

Shortly afterwards she admitted Corrigan to her room. She had changed from
her traveling suit to a gown of some soft, glossy material that
accentuated the lines revealed by the discarded habit. The worldly-wise
would have viewed the lady with a certain expressive smile that might have
meant much or nothing. And the lady would have looked upon that smile as
she now looked at Corrigan, with a faint defiance that had quite a little
daring in it. But in the present case there was an added expression--two,
in fact--pleasure and expectancy.

"Well--I'm here." She bowed, mockingly, laughingly, compressing her lips
as she noted the quick fire that flamed in her visitor's eyes.

"That's all over, Jeff; I won't go back to it. If that's why--"

"That's all right," he said, smiling as he took the chair she waved him
to; "I've erased a page or two from the past, myself. But I can't help
admiring you; you certainly are looking fine! What have you been doing to
yourself?"

She draped herself in a chair where she could look straight at him, and
his compliment made her mouth harde