e more than a mile
or so out of the way." Jack's hand was on the latch.

"And that yellow horse ain't what you can call trail-broke."

"He will be, by the time I get to the mine!"

Dade threw out both hands in surrender. "Oh, well--you darned donkey,
give me time to tell Don Andres good-by, anyway."

Jack's eyes lighted with the smile Dade knew and loved to see. "Dade,
they don't make 'em any better than you," he cried, and left the door to
try and break a shoulder-blade with the flat of his hand, just to show
his appreciation of such friendship. "Bill Wilson has got enough gold
that he pulled out of the crowd for us yesterday to grub-stake us for a
good long while, and--I can't get out of this valley a minute too soon
to suit me," he confessed. "You go on and hunt up Don Andres, while I
tackle Solano. I'll wait for you--but don't ask me to stay till after
dinner, because I won't do it.

"We don't want to go off without saying good-by to Jerry and his wife,
anyway; and we'll beg a meal from the old Turk, and listen to some more
yarns about Tige, just to show we're friendly. I'll have Surry saddled,
so all you've got to do is make your talk to the don and pack your
socks."

Dade grinned and followed him outside. "Good thing I'm used to you," he
commented grimly, "or my head would be whirling, right now." Not a word,
you will observe, as to whether his own interests would be furthered by
this sudden departure; but that was Dade's way. Not a word about the
sudden change from last evening, when Jack had eaten at Don Andres'
table and had talked amiably with Jose--amiably in spite of the fact
that every one of them understood perfectly that the amiability was but
the flowers of courtesy strewn over a formal--and perhaps a
temporary--truce. But Jose was not a fixture upon the ranch, and the
don's friendship for the two seemed unchanged.

Dade did not argue nor did he question. Barring details, he thought he
understood why it was that Jack wanted to go--why it was impossible for
him to stay. A girl may be only seventeen and as irresponsible as a
kitten, but for all that she may play an important part in the making
and the marring of a man's most practical plans.

When he returned from the house, Don Andres walked beside him. The two
of them reached the corral just as Jack released Solano's foot from the
rawhide loop that had held it high while Jack cinched the saddle in
place. When Jack saw them he came forward, wipin