hand over the upturned palm. "If I got all this little hand could
pass me there isn't a thing I couldn't do. Say, little Jessie, there's
a sort of heaven on this earth for us men-folk. It's a heaven none of
us deserve. And it lies in the soul of one woman. If she guesses to
open the gate, why, we can walk right in. It she don't choose that
way, then I guess there's only perdition waiting around to take us in.
Well, I got to those gates right now." One arm unobtrusively circled
the girl's waist, and slowly its pressure drew her towards him. "And
I'm waiting. It's all up to you. I'm just standing around.
Maybe--maybe you'll--open those gates?"

The girl's head gently inclined towards him. In a moment her lips were
clinging to his. Those ripe, soft, warm lips had answered him.

Later--much later, when the warming sun had absorbed the fleecy screen
which had served its earlier pastime, and the spring breeze had hastily
sought new fields upon which to devote its melting efforts, Jessie
found courage to urge the single regret these moments had left her.

"And you still need to quit--to-morrow?" she asked shyly.

"More surely than ever."

"Why?"

A smile lit the man's eyes. She was using his own pressure against
himself.

He suddenly sprang from his seat. The girl, too, rose and stood
confronting him with questioning eyes. She was tall. For all his
great size he was powerless to rob her of one inch of the gracious form
which her mother had bestowed upon her. He held out his hands so that
they rested on her shoulders. He gazed down into her face with eyes
filled with a joy and triumph unspeakable. And he spoke out of the
buoyant strength of his heart, which was full to overflowing.

"Because, more than ever I need to go--now. Say, my dear, there's
folks who've hurt you in this world. They've hurt you sore. I'm going
to locate 'em up here, and down at Leaping Horse. And when I've
located them they're going to pay. Do you get what that means? No.
You can't. Your gentle heart can't get it all, when men set out to
make folk who've hurt women-folk bad pay for their doings. And I'm
glad. I know. And, by God, the folk who've hurt you are going to pay
good. They're going to pay--me."

CHAPTER XXV

THE OUT-WORLD

Awe was the dominating emotion. Wonder looked out of eyes that have
long become accustomed to the crude marvels of nature to be found in
the northland. The men of Kars' exped