ou, Jim, and you too, Peter. You can't do
anything more. Really you can't and I don't want to spoil your
evening. I----"

"We're going to wait for the Doc, Eve," said Jim, firmly.

Her eagerness to be rid of them was painfully evident, and so unlike
her.

"Yes," agreed Peter, "we better wait for the Doc, Eve. You see we came
down to pay you a party call."

"A party call?"

"Yes. Y'see Jim rode in from the 'AZ's' to pay you a--party call."

The girl's eyes steadied themselves on Jim's face. He had drawn
himself up a chair, and was sitting opposite her. Peter was still
standing, his great bulk shutting the glare of the lamplight out of
her eyes. She looked long and earnestly into the man's face, as though
she would fathom the meaning of his visit before she in any way
committed herself. But she learned nothing from it.

"A party call--after all this time, Jim?" she asked, with something
like a wistful smile.

Jim turned away. He could not face the pathos in her expression. His
eyes wandered round the little room. Not one detail of it was
forgotten, yet it seemed ages and ages since he had seen it all. He
nodded.

"You see," he said lamely, "new married folks don't----"

Eve checked his explanation quickly. She didn't want any. All she
wanted was for them to go before Will returned.

"Yes; I know. And, besides, the ranch is a long way. Yet--why did you
come to-night?" She pressed her hand to her forehead lest the fear in
her eyes should betray her.

The pause which followed was awkward. Somehow neither of the men was
prepared for it. Neither had thought that such a question would be put
to him. Peter looked at Jim, who turned deliberately away. He was
struggling vainly for a way of approaching all he had to say to this
girl, and now that he was face to face with it he realized the
impossibility of his position. Finally it was the girl herself who
helped him out.

"It's very, very kind of you, anyway," she said, in a low voice.
"It's good to think that I've got friends thinking about me----"

"That's just it, Eve," cried Jim, seizing his opportunity with a
clumsy rush. "I've been thinking a heap--lately. You see--Will
Henderson's not working and--and--folks say----"

"And gossip says we're 'hard up,'" Eve added bitterly. She knew well
enough the talk that was rife. "So you've come in to see--if it is
true." She again pressed a hand to her forehead. This time it was the
pain of her head which had become