started out of her brooding to hasten
forward and question him.

"How did it happen--who did it?" she inquired, riding up breathlessly
where Reid lounged on his horse at the top of the hill waiting for her
to come to him.

"Happen? What happen?" said Reid, affecting surprise.

"Mr. Mackenzie--surely you must know something about it--he's nearly
killed!"

"Oh, Mackenzie." Reid spoke indifferently, tossing away his cigarette,
laughing a little as he shaped the shepherd's name. "Mackenzie had a
little trouble with Swan Carlson, but this time he didn't land his
lucky blow."

"I thought you knew all about it," Joan said, sweeping him a scornful,
accusing look. "I had you sized up about that way!"

"Sure, I know all about it, Joan," Reid said, but with a gentle
sadness in his soft voice that seemed to express his pity for the
unlucky man. "I happened to be away when it started, but I got
there--well, I got there, anyhow."

Joan's eyes were still severe, but a question grew in them as she
faced him, looking at him searchingly, as if to read what it was he
hid.

"Where have you been all day? Dad's been looking high and low for
you."

"I guess I was over at Carlson's when the old snoozer came," Reid told
her, easy and careless, confident and open, in his manner.

"Carlson's? What business could you----"

"Didn't he tell you about it, Joan?"

"Who, Dad?"

"Mackenzie."

"He hasn't spoken since he stumbled into Dad's camp last night. He's
going to die!"

"Oh, not that bad, Joan?" Reid jerked his horse about with quick hand
as he spoke, making as if to start down at once to the camp where the
wounded schoolmaster lay. "Why, he walked off yesterday afternoon like
he wasn't hurt much. Unconscious?"

Joan nodded, a feeling in her throat as if she choked on cold tears.

"I didn't think he got much of a jolt when Swan took his gun away from
him and soaked him over the head with it," said Reid, regretfully.

"You were there, and you let him do it!" Joan felt that she disparaged
Mackenzie with the accusation as soon as the hasty words fell from her
tongue, but biting the lips would not bring them back.

"He needs _somebody_ around with him, but I can't be right beside him
all the time, Joan."

"Oh, I don't mean--I didn't--I guess he's able to take care of himself
if they give him a show. If you saw it, you can tell me how it
happened."

"I'll ride along with you," Reid offered; "I can't do him any good by
goi