at didn't--they'd put
him out of business. You don't need to fear I'll throw in with 'em. I
guess if a man can tend bar for six years an' stay straight--straight
enough so the bank ain't afraid to match his pile an' shove the money
out through the window to him--there ain't much chance he won't stay
straight ranchin'."

"It ain't that, Joe!" the girl hastened to assure him, "I never would
married you if I hadn't know'd you was square. I don't want nothin' to
do with them crooks--I've got a feelin' that, somehow, they'll throw it
into you."

"About the only ones there is around here is Cass Grimshaw's gang an'
outside of runnin' off horses, Cass Grimshaw's on the level--everyone
knows that."

"Well," replied the girl, doubtfully, "maybe they might be one
horse-thief like that--but a whole gang--if they was that square they
wouldn't be horse-thieves."

"What Cass says goes----"

"Look at comin', yonder!" interrupted Jennie, pointing to the lone
rider, "if it ain't that low-down Jack Purdy, I'll jump in the crick!"
At the mention of the name of Purdy, Cinnabar Joe started perceptibly.
His wife noticed the movement, slight as it was--noted also, in one
swift sidewise glance, that his face paled slightly under its new-found
tan, and that a furtive--almost a hunted look had crept into his eyes.
Did her husband fear this man, and if so--why? A sudden nameless fear
gripped her heart. She stepped close to Cinnabar Joe's side as though in
some unaccountable way he needed her protection, and together they
waited for the approaching rider. The man's horse splashed noisily into
the creek, lowered his head to drink, but the rider jerked viciously on
the reins so that the cruel spade bit pinked the foam at the animal's
lips. Spurring the horse up the bank, he stopped before them, grinning.
"'Lo Cinnabar! 'Lo, Jennie! Heard you'd located on Red Sand, an' thought
I'd run over an' look you up--bein' as we're neighbours."

"Neighbours!" cried the girl, in undisguised disgust, "Lord! I know'd
the bad lands was bad enough--but I didn't think they was that bad. I
thought you was plumb out of the country or dead, long before this!"

The man leered insolently: "Oh, you did, eh? Well, I ain't out of the
country--an' I ain't dead--by a hell of a ways! I guess Cinnabar
wouldn't sob none if I was dead. You don't seem tickled to death to see
an' old pal."

"Sure, you're welcome here, Jack. Anyone is. Anything I can do for you?"

The man