girded loins, he must stand out, and, conscious of
his innocence, fight the great battle. It was the world--his
world--against him, he knew. What--what must be the result?

CHAPTER XXI

INSPIRATION

Half an hour later Jim rode into Barnriff. It was getting on
toward noon, and most of the villagers were busy at their various
occupations. As he rode on to the market-place he glanced quickly
about him, and, all unconsciously, there was defiance and resentment
in his dark eyes; the look of a man prepared for the accusations
which he knew were awaiting him. But this attitude was quite
wasted, for there were few people about, and those few were either too
far off, or too busy to note his coming, or appreciate his feelings,
as expressed in his dark eyes.

It is strange how instinct will so often take the lead in moments
critical in the lives of human beings. Jim had no thought of whither
his immediate destination lay, yet he was riding straight for the
house of the friendly gold prospector. Doubtless his action was due to
a subconscious realization of a friendliness and trust on the part of
Peter, which was not to be overborne by the first breath of
suspicion.

He was within fifty yards of that friendly, open door, when he became
aware that a woman's figure was standing before it. Her back was
turned, and she looked to be either peering within the hut, or talking
to some one inside it. Nor, strangely enough, did he recognize the
trim outline of her figure until she abruptly turned away and moved
off in the direction of her own house. It was Eve Henderson. And,
without hesitation, he swung his horse in her direction.

She saw him at once and, smiling a welcome, waited for him to come up.
He saw the smile and the unhesitating way she stepped forward to greet
him. There could have been no doubt of her cordiality, even eagerness,
yet with the shadow of his disgrace hanging over him, he tried to look
beyond it for that something which he was ready to resent even in
her.

He saw the shadow on her face, which even her smile had no power to
lift out of its troubled lines. He saw dark shadows round her eyes,
the tremulous, drooping mouth, once so buoyant and happy, and he
selfishly took these signs to himself, and moodily felt that she was
trying vainly to conceal her real thoughts of him behind a display of
loyalty.

There was no verbal greeting between them, and he felt this to be a
further ominous sign. Somehow,