threw it open. He disappeared within and an instant later
Sheila heard the scratch of a match and saw a feeble glimmer of light
shoot out through the doorway. Then the stranger's voice:

"Come in."

He had lighted a candle that stood on a table in the center of the room,
and in its glaring flicker as she stepped inside Sheila caught her first
good view of the stranger's face. She felt reassured instantly, for it was
a good face, with lines denoting strength of character. The drooping
mustache did not quite conceal his lips, which were straight and firm.
Sheila was a little disturbed over the hard expression in them, however,
though she had heard that the men of the West lived rather hazardous lives
and she supposed that in time their faces showed it. It was his eyes,
though, that gave her a fleeting glimpse of his character. They were
blue--a steely, fathomless blue; baffling, mocking; swimming--as she
looked into them now--with an expression that she could not attempt to
analyze. One thing she saw in them only,--recklessness--and she drew a
slow, deep breath.

They were standing very close together. He caught the deep-drawn breath
and looked quickly at her, his eyes alight and narrowed with an expression
which was a curious mingling of quizzical humor and grim enjoyment. Her
own eyes did not waver, though his were boring into hers steadily, as
though he were trying to read her thoughts.

"Afraid?" he questioned, with a suggestion of sarcasm in the curl of his
lips.

Sheila stiffened, her eyes flashing defiance. She studied him steadily,
her spirit battling his over the few feet that separated them. Then she
spoke deliberately, evenly: "I am not afraid of you!"

"That's right." A gratified smile broke on the straight, hard lips. A new
expression came into his eyes--admiration. "You've got nerve, ma'am. I'm
some pleased that you've got that much trust in me. You don't need to be
scared. You're as safe here as you'd be out there." He nodded toward the
open door. "Safer," he added with a grave smile; "you might get hurt out
there."

He turned abruptly and went to the door, where he stood for a long time
looking out into the darkness. She watched him for a moment and then
removed the tarpaulin and hung it from a nail in the wall of the cabin.
Standing near the table she glanced about her. There was only one room in
the cabin, but it was large--about twenty by twenty, she estimated. Beside
an open fireplace in a corn