s raving crazy in a
minute. Jeff says he's been that way himself for years, and now it's
got me, too. If I get much worse," he ended, suddenly glancing up at
her with a wistful smile, "you'll have to take me away."

"Away!" cried Lucy eagerly, "would you go? You know father and I have
talked of it time and again, but you just stick and stick, and nothing
will make you leave. But listen--what was that?"

A succession of rifle shots, like the popping of wet logs over a fire,
came dully to their ears, muffled by the bleating of sheep and the
echoing of the cliffs. Hardy leapt to his feet and listened intently,
his eyes burning with suppressed excitement; then he stepped
reluctantly back into the house and resumed his seat.

"I guess it's only those Mexican herders," he said. "They shoot that
way to drive their sheep."

"But look!" cried Lucy, pointing out the door, "the Black Butte is
afire! Just see that great smoke!"

Hardy sprang up again and dashed out into the open. The popping of
thirty-thirtys had ceased, but from the summit of the square-topped
butte a signal fire rose up to heaven, tall and straight and black.

"Aha!" he muttered, and without looking at her he ran out to the
corral to saddle Chapuli. But when he came back he rode slowly,
checking the impatience of his horse, until at last he dismounted
beside her. For days his eyes had been furtive and evasive, but now at
last they were steady.

"Lucy," he said, "I haven't been very honest with you, but I guess you
know what this means--the boys are turning back the sheep." His voice
was low and gentle, and he stood very straight before her, like a
soldier. Yet, even though she sensed what was in his mind, Lucy
smiled. For a month he had been to her like another man, a man without
emotion or human thought, and now in a moment he had come back, the
old Rufus that she had known in her heart so long.

"Yes," she said, holding out her hand to him, "I knew it. But you are
working for me, you know, and I cannot let you go. Listen, Rufus," she
pleaded, as he drew away, "have I ever refused you anything? Tell me
what you want to do."

"I want to go down there and help turn back those sheep," he said,
bluntly. "You know me, Lucy--my heart is in this fight--my friends are
in it--and I must go."

He waited for some answer, but Lucy only turned away. There were tears
in her eyes when she looked back at him and her lips trembled, but she
passed into the house with