e coming. You're going to fix a
police station here, aren't you?" Then, as he nodded, her smile died
out and her eyes became almost earnest. "It's surely time," she
declared. "I've heard of bad places, I've read of them, I guess. But
all I've heard of, or read of, are heavens of righteousness compared
with this place. Look," she cried, rising from the ground and reaching
out one beautifully rounded arm in the direction of the nestling
houses, amid their setting of green woods, with the silvery gleam of
the river peeping up as it wound its sluggish summer way through the
heart of the valley. "Was there ever such a mockery? The sweetest
picture human eyes could rest on. Fair--far, far fairer than any
artist's fancy could paint it. It's a fit resting place for everything
that's good, and true, and beautiful in life, and--and yet--I'd say
that Rocky Springs, very nearly to a man, is--against the law."

For a moment Fyles had no reply. He was thinking of the charm of the
picture she made standing there silhouetted against the green slope of
the far side of the valley. Then, as she suddenly dropped her arm, and
began to gather up the sewing she had tumbled upon the ground when she
stood up, he pulled himself together. He beamed an unusually genial
smile.

"Guess there are things we police need to be thankful for, and places
like Rocky Springs are among 'em," he said, cheerfully. "I'd say if it
wasn't for your Rocky Springs, and its like, we should be chasing
around as uselessly as hungry coyotes in winter. The Government
wouldn't fancy paying us for nothing."

By the time he had finished speaking the girl's work was gathered in
her arms.

"That's the trail," she said abruptly, pointing at the path which
Fyles had left for his inspection of the tree. "It goes right on down
to the saloon. You see," she added slyly, "the saloon's about the most
important building in the town. Good-bye."

Without another word she walked off down the slope, and, in a moment,
was lost among the generous growth of shrubs.

This was the scene to which his mind always reverted. But there were
others, many of them, and in each this beautiful girl's presence was
always the center of his focus. He had seen and spoken to her many
times since then, for his duty frequently took him into the
neighborhood of that aged pine. But in spite of her frankness at their
first meeting she quickly proved far more elusive than he would have
believed possible, an