ling of
gray hair at his temples had caused her to place his age at thirty-seven
or eight. Besides, there were the lines of his face--the set lines of
character--indicating established habits of thought which would not show
so deeply in a younger face. His mouth, she thought, was a trifle weak,
yet not exactly weak either, but full-lipped and sensual, with little
curves at the corners which, she was sure, indicated either vindictiveness
or cruelty, perhaps both.

Taken altogether his was not a face to trust fully; its owner might be too
easily guided by selfish considerations. Duncan liked to talk about
himself; he had been talking about himself all the time that Sheila had
sat beside him reviewing the mental picture. But apparently he had about
exhausted that subject now, and presently he looked up at her, his eyes
narrowing quizzically.

"You have been here a month now," he said. "How do you like the country?"

"I like it," she returned.

She was looking now at the other picture, watching the shimmer of the sun
on the distant mountain peaks.

"It improves," he said, "on acquaintance--like the people." He flashed a
smile at her, showing his teeth.

"I haven't seen very many people," she returned, not looking at him, but
determined to ignore the personal allusion, to which, plainly, he had
meant to guide her.

"But those that you have seen?" he persisted.

"I have formed no opinions."

She _had_ formed an opinion, though, a conclusive one--concerning Dakota.
But she had no idea of communicating it to Duncan. Until now, strangely
enough, she had had no curiosity concerning him. Bitter hatred and
resentment had been so active in her brain that the latter had held no
place for curiosity. Or at least, if it had been there, it had been a
subconscious emotion, entirely overshadowed by bitterness. Of late, though
her resentment toward Dakota had not abated, she had been able to review
the incident of her marriage to him with more composure, and therefore a
growing curiosity toward the man seemed perfectly justifiable. Curiosity
moved her now as she smiled deliberately at Duncan.

"I have seen no one except your sister, a few cowboys, and yourself. I
haven't paid much attention to the cowboys, I like your sister, and I am
not in the habit of telling people to their faces what I think of them.
The country does not appear to be densely populated. Are there no other
ranches around here--no other cattlemen?"

"The Dou