, and it's ruined her as
it will any person."

"Well, let her trail." Jerry's voice had a clear defiance now. "I'm here
to earn an honest living by my own efforts. I shall pay my bills and
take care of my own business. I have not intentionally injured anybody."

She paused and remembered Laura Macpherson, her shapely hands gripped
together, emphasizing her unbreakable determination.

"And you are goin' to win. Don't never be afraid of the end and finis.
But, knowin' Sage Brush, an' how scared it is of Mrs. Bahrr, yet
listenin' constant to every word she says, I felt it my duty to warn you
of breakers ahead. I've known more 'n one, bein' innocent, to fall for
her tricks. And I'm telling you out of pure kindness. There's only two
ways to handle her--keep still and try to live above her, or stand
straight up an' tell her to go to the devil. Excuse me, Miss Swaim, I'm
not really a profane man, but I mean well by you, and I'm not just
settin' here to gossip about a fellow-citizenness."

"I know you mean well, Mr. Ponk. You have been more than kind to me ever
since the night I reached New Eden, and I do appreciate your friendship
and good-will," Jerry said, earnestly. "Now as to Mrs. Bahrr, which
course do you advise me to follow?"

Junius Brutus Ponk was hanging on every word of Jerry's, and his face
was a full moon of pleasure, for he was frankly and madly in love with
her, and he knew it.

"I can't advise at all; it just ain't for me to do that. You are
honorin' us by stoppin' in our midst. What I want you to do is to be on
the lookout, an' if things start wrong, anywhere--school or church or
with your friends, the Macphersons, for instance, as they might--just
run down old Stellar before you go to guessin', or misunderstandin', and
if you can't do it alone"--Ponk smote his broad bosom dramatically--"I'm
here to help. That leads me to the thirdly of my triplet purpose in
askin' the pleasure of your company."

Jerry looked up with a smile. The little man was so thoroughly good, and
yet so impossible. York Macpherson seemed head and shoulders above any
other man she had ever known in her life--except her father. In fact, he
seemed like a sort of father to her--and Joe Thomson. That was just a
shadow across her consciousness, for all these men belonged here and at
heart were not of her world.

"Miss Swaim, will you let me, without no recompense, be a friend at
court whenever you need my help? You seem to me like a so