and the dread
of their future they laid aside like an ugly cloak while they showed
her what lies in the worst man's heart--a certain awe of woman. Their
manners underwent a sudden change. Polite words, rusted by long
disuse, were resurrected in her honour. Tremendous phrases came
labouring forth. There was a general though covert rearranging of
bandanas, and an interchange of self-conscious glances. Haines alone
seemed impervious to her charm.

The red died slowly along the west. There was no light save the
flicker of the fire, which played on Kate's smile and the rich gold of
her hair, or caught out of the dark one of the lean, hard faces which
circled her. Now and then it fell on the ghastly grin of Terry Jordan
and Kate had to clench her hand to keep up her nerve.

It was deep night when Jim Silent rode into the clearing. Shorty
Rhinehart and Hal Purvis went to him quickly to explain the presence
of the girl and the fact that they were all members of the Y Circle
X outfit. He responded with nods while his gloomy eyes held fast on
Kate. When they presented him as the boss, Jim, he replied to her
good-natured greeting in a voice that was half grunt and half growl.

CHAPTER XIV

DELILAH

Haines muttered at Kate's ear: "This is the man. Now keep up your
courage."

"He doesn't like this," went on Haines in the same muffled voice, "but
when he understands just why you're here I think he'll be as glad as
any of us."

Silent beckoned to him and he went to the chief.

"What about the girl?" asked the big fellow curtly.

"Didn't Rhinehart tell you?"

"Rhinehart's a fool and so are the rest of them. Have you gone loco
too, Haines, to let a girl come here?"

"Where's the harm?"

"Why, damn it, she's marked every man here."

"I let her in because she is trying to get hold of Whistling Dan."

"Which no fool girl c'n take that feller off the trail. Nothin' but
lead can do that."

"I tell you," said Haines, "the boy's in love with her. I watched them
at Morgan's place. She can twist him around her finger."

A faint light broke the gloom of Silent's face.

"Yaller hair an' blue eyes. They c'n do a lot. Maybe you're right.
What's that?" His voice had gone suddenly husky.

A russet moon pushed slowly up through the trees. Its uncertain light
fell across the clearing. For the first time the thick pale smoke of
the fire was visible, rising straight up until it cleared the tops of
the willows, and then ca