e an answer and her lips were dry as she said
in a low voice, "No, I did not forget, but I thought you had forgotten
_me_."

"A man don't forget such a girl as you are, Mary. You were in my mind
all the time. Your singing did more for me than anything else. I've
tried to keep out of trouble for your sake. I haven't succeeded very
well as you know--but most of the stories about me are lies. I've only
had two fights and they were both in self-defense and I don't think I
killed anybody. I never know exactly what I'm doing when I get into a
scrap. But I've kept out of the way of it on your account. I never go
after a man. It's pretty hard not to shoot out there where men go on the
rampage so often. It's easier, now than it used to be, for they are
afraid of me."

He seemed to come to a halt in that direction, and after a moment's
pause took a new start. "I saw you at church to-day, and I saw you walk
off with the minister, and that gave me a sudden jolt. It seemed to me
you--liked him mighty well----"

She was sitting in silence and apparent calmness, but she flushed and
her lips set close together. It was evident that no half-explanations
would suffice this soul of the mountain land.

He arose finally and stood for an instant looking at her with piercing
intentness. His deep excitement had forced him to physical action.

"I could see he was the man for you, not me. Right there I felt like
quitting. I went back to my hotel doing more thinking to the square
minute than ever before in my life, I reckon. I ought to have pulled out
for the mountains right then, but you see, I had caught a glimpse of
you again, and I couldn't. The smell of your dress----" he paused a
moment. "You are the finest girl God ever made and I just couldn't go
without seeing you, at least once more."

He was tense, almost rigid with the stress of his sudden passion. She
remained silent with eyes fixed upon him, musing and somber. She was
slower to utter emotion than he, and could not speak even when he had
finished.

He began to walk up and down just before her, his brows moodily knitted.
"I'm not fit to ask a girl like you to marry me, I know that. I've
served time in jail, and I'm under indictment by the courts this very
minute in two States. I'm no good on earth but to rope cattle. I can't
bring myself to farm or sell goods back here, and if I could you
oughtn't to have anything to do with me--but all the same you're worth
more to me than an