the
intense heat and the constant trouble which she held safely screened
behind her smiling eyes, were not without effect upon her, although
display was only permitted when no other eyes were present to witness
her weakness.

It was the ranch house dinner time. Bud was due, as was the return of
the men who belonged to the home station.

Nan released the cinchas of her saddle and removed her pony's bridle.
Then, with a sharp pat upon the creature's quarters, she sent it
strolling off toward the open pasture, in which the windmill pump kept
the string of watering tubs ready for the thirsty world about it.

She watched the animal as it flung itself down for a roll. Its
ungainly, thrusting legs held her interest. Then, as it scrambled to
its feet and shook itself, and headed for the water, she seated herself
in a low wicker chair and wiped the dust from her long riding boots
with the silk handkerchief she wore loosely tied about her neck. A few
moments later her brown eyes were gazing fixedly out at the shimmer of
heat which hovered low over the distant horizon.

She was meditating deeply, her tired body yielding to the greater
activity of her thought. The scene was lost to her. Her gaze sped
beyond the maze of corrals, and the more distant patchwork of fenced
pastures to the western boundary of her beloved Rainbow Hill Valley.
There was nothing but grass, endless grass, until the purple line of
the wood-clad mountains was reached. And here it was that her regard
found a resting place. But even so she was unaware of it, for her
thoughts were miles away in another direction.

Her courage had reaped its natural harvest. Her labors had yielded her
a peace of mind which at one time had seemed impossible. She could
reflect calmly now, if not without a world of regret and sadness. Just
now, in the brief interval of waiting for her father for their midday
meal, her relaxed body permitted her thoughts to wander toward the city
where Jeff was still held captive by toils she herself had been unable
to weave about him.

She had had her desire. She had pressed her less willing father into
her service, and through him she had obtained the right to see that
Jeff's house was made ready. It had been a labor of love in its
highest sense, for not one single detail of her efforts but had been a
fresh laceration of her loyal soul. In her mind it was never possible
to shut out the memory that everything that was for Jeff w