hanty Town gang. But the laugh--it rang in her ears.

Several twilights passed, then she ventured out again. A lip of moon was
dropping down an unclouded sky; the stars hung low and white. And when
she neared the swale, she saw, a good distance before her, that small
black object separate itself from the grove again and move forward.

She stopped. She was not frightened now. She knew who it was. And when
she saw his arms come up, and caught the glint of metal, she called out
to him: "Don't! _don't_! It's me!"

There was a muttered exclamation, and the arms fell. "Miss Dallas," he
cried, and sprang forward.

"I--I was sure it was you," she admitted tremulously. "And you've been
guarding here all the time!"

Lounsbury was panting. "Suppose I'd fired?" he said. "I had a mind to.
Crimini!"

"You'd 'a' missed, likely."

"Maybe not. You see, I thought, well--that Matthews or that precious
brother of his, they might get to bothering you folks. Anyway, ain't it
dangerous for you to be out here late like this?"

"It is for you. You get shot at--keeping guard on us."

He thumped the swale impatiently with the butt of his gun.

"Oh, it _was_ you," she persisted, gravely enough; "that is why I came
to-night."

"Ah! You mean that I can help you, Miss Dallas. Tell me--tell me, what
can I do?"

"Don't let Matthews kill you."

Lounsbury laid down his gun. When he straightened, he stepped to her
side. "Me?" he said. "Well, I'm a match for him. You ain't. But what
else?"

She moved aside, averting her face.

"There is something, Miss Dallas?"

"Y-e-e-s."

He saw she was disconcerted, and strove to put her at ease. "Do you
know," he said, "you're so tall in that coat, you almost look like a
'heap big chief.'"

She did not hear him. She was not listening. The wished-for opportunity
was come. She was trying desperately to rally a speech. "You--you ain't
been 'round of late," she began at last. "I hope----" But she could not
finish,

"No," he said slowly. He rammed his hands into his trouser pockets. "I
haven't been around lately. But--I didn't think you'd notice it." He
darted a glance at her.

"Was it dad?" she asked. "Did you think----"

"Yes, it was your father. I thought he went out of his way to be--well,
kinda short, you know. I was only trying t' be decent."

"Dad's funny," she said reflectively. "Whenever we get to a chuck-hole,
where all of us ought to pull t'gether, he goes slack on the tugs. He's
li