cles sloped beautifully from the brown
throat. A sardonic smile was on the devil-may-care face, and those who
saw that smile labeled it impudent, debonair, or whimsical, as fancy
pleased.

"By Jove, the fellow's a natural-born aristocrat," thought Farquhar, the
most democratic of men.

Jack Kilmeny nodded with cool equality toward Farquhar and the captain,
ignored Verinder, and smiled genially at India. For Moya his look had a
special meaning. It charged her with the duty of faith in him. Somehow
too it poured courage into her sinking heart.

"Afraid an engagement at Gunnison with Sheriff Gill won't let me stop
for any poker to-night," he told his host.

Farquhar was on the spot to meet him in the same spirit. "Verinder will
be glad of that. I fancy my pocketbook too will be fatter to-morrow
morning."

Biggs appeared to take the newly arrived party in charge. As they
started to follow him the prisoner came face to face with Joyce, who was
just coming out of the house. She looked at the young miner and at the
rifles, and her eyes dilated. Under the lowered lights of evening she
seemed to swim in a tide of beauty rich and mellow. The young man caught
his breath at the sheer pagan loveliness of her.

"What is it?" she asked in a low, sweet, tremulous voice.

His assurance fled. The bravado was sponged from his face instantly. He
stared at her in silence from fascinated eyes until he moved forward at
the spur of an insistent arm at his elbow.

India wondered how Lady Jim would dispose of the party. Jack Kilmeny
might be a criminal, but he happened to be their cousin. It would hardly
do to send him to the servants' quarters to eat. And where he ate the
sheriff and his posse would likewise have to dine.

The young woman need not have concerned herself. Lady Farquhar knew
enough of the West and its ways not to make a mistake. Such food as
could be prepared at short notice was served in the dining-room.

Having washed the dust of travel from himself, the sheriff returned to
the porch to apologize once more for having made so much trouble.

Farquhar diverted him from his regrets by asking him how they had made
the capture.

"I ain't claiming much credit for getting him," Gill admitted. "This
here was the way of it. A kid had been lost from Lander's ranch--strayed
away in the hills, y'understand. She was gone for forty-eight hours, and
everybody in the district was on the hunt for her. Up there the
mountains are fu