her hand passionately, while she sat
with head turned away. "Tell me, Moira, if I may love you? And is it
any use? And do you think you could love me even a little bit? I am not
worthy to touch you. Tell me." Still she sat silent. He waited a few
moments, his face growing gray. "Tell me," he said at length in a
broken, husky voice. "I will try to bear it."

She turned her face toward him. The sunny eyes were full of tears.

"And you were going away from me?" she breathed, leaning toward him.

"Sweetheart!" he cried, putting his arms around her and drawing her to
him, "tell me to stay."

"Stay," she whispered, "or take me too."

The sun had long since disappeared behind the big purple mountains
and even the warm afterglow in the eastern sky had faded into a pearly
opalescent gray when the two reached the edge of the bluff nearest the
house.

"Oh! The milking!" cried Moira aghast, as she came in sight of the
house.

"Great Caesar! I was going to help," exclaimed the doctor.

"Too bad," said the girl penitently. "But, of course, there's Smith."

"Why, certainly there's Smith. What a God-send that chap is. He is
always on the spot. But Cameron is home. I see his horse. Let us go in
and face the music."

They found an excited group standing in the kitchen, Mandy with a letter
in her hand.

"Oh, here you are at last!" she cried. "Where have you--" She glanced at
Moira's face and then at the doctor's and stopped abruptly.

"Hello, what's up?" cried the doctor.

"We have got a letter--such a letter!" cried Mandy. "Read it. Read it
aloud, Doctor." She thrust the letter into his hand. The doctor cleared
his throat, struck an attitude, and read aloud:

"My dear Cameron:

"It gives me great pleasure to say for the officers of the Police Force
in the South West district and for myself that we greatly appreciate the
distinguished services you rendered during the past six months in your
patrol of the Sun Dance Trail. It was a work of difficulty and danger
and one of the highest importance to the country. I feel sure it will
gratify you to know that the attention of the Government has been
specially called to the creditable manner in which you have performed
your duty, and I have no doubt that the Government will suitably express
its appreciation of your services in due time. But, as you are aware,
in the Force to which we have the honor to belong, we do not look for
recognition, preferring to find a sufficient rew