, whether you killed your
man or not?"

"I can't remember. It was dark. We fired a dozen shots. I am afraid I
hit; I am too handy with the revolver to miss."

"Mm, so Delmar says. Well, you're out of the State, and I have no belief
they will take the trouble to look you up. Anyhow, I reckon you better
stay with us till we see how the fuss ends. You certainly are a likely
young rider, an' I can use you right hyere till you feel like goin'
farther."

A wave of grateful emotion rushed over the boy, blinding his eyes with
tears, and before he could speak to thank his benefactor, dinner was
called. The girl perceived the tears in his eyes, and as they went out
to dinner she looked at him with a comradeship born of the knowledge
that he, too, had suffered.

He returned her glance with one equally frank and friendly, and all
through the meal he addressed himself to her more often than to her
parents. She was of the most gentle, and patient, and yielding type. Her
beautiful lips and eyes expressed only sweetness and feminine charm, and
her body, though thin and bent, was of girlish slimness.

Reynolds warmed to the boy wondrously. As they arose from the table he
said:

"We'll ride over to the round-up to-morrow, and I'll introduce you to
the cow boss, and you can go right into the mess. I'll turn my horse
over to you; I'm getting mighty near too old to enjoy rustlin' cattle
together, and I'll just naturally let you take my place."

CHAPTER XI

ON THE ROUND-UP

Mose was awakened next morning by the whirring of the coffee mill, a
vigorous and cheerful sound. Mrs. Reynolds and Cora were busily
preparing breakfast, and their housewifely movements about the kitchen
below gave the boy a singular pleasure. The smell of meat in the pan
rose to his nostrils, and the cooing laughter of the baby added a final
strand in a homely skein of noises. No household so homelike and secure
had opened to him since he said good-by to his foster parents in Rock
River.

He dressed and hurried down and out to the barn. Frost lay white on the
grass, cattle were bawling somewhere in the distance. The smoke of the
kitchen went up into the sky straight as a poplar tree. The beautiful
plain, hushed and rapt, lay waiting for the sun.

As he entered the stable, Mose found Reynolds looking carefully at Jack.
"That looks a gentle horse; I can't see a mean thing about him. I don't
reckon he's a cow hoss, is he?"

"No, I don't suppose he i