tand. Orrville? It was when he
had been speaking of Orrville all that intensity of bitterness had been
so apparent in Jeff. She received no enlightenment, however.

"What's the play at--Orrville?"

Bud's question had a suggestion of anxiety in it.

Jeff rose from his chair. He passed one hand wearily across his brow
and smoothed back his lank fair hair.

"Oh, it's just arbitration," he said. "The parties agree to take my
decision in some grazing rights instead of handing good dollars over to
the law. It's Dug. Dug McFarlane, and a feller called Peters. Peters
figgers he's got rights on Dug's land, and--well, Dug just guesses he
hasn't."

"When are you starting?" Nan inquired, from her place at the window.

"I'll need to get off early to-morrow." Jeff's eyes were on the girl.
The change in them had become pronounced. Warmth had replaced
frigidity, and the smile in them was real now. "It's tough on top of
my home-coming, eh, Nan? Maybe Evie'll feel lonesome too--when I tell
her. Still, these things are part of the game, and I can't weaken on
'em. It's these toughs around I'm worrying 'll scare her. I was kind
of wondering if you'd----"

"You don't need to worry a thing." Nan's smile was full of a staunch
reassurance. And her readiness came with a spontaneity which had
nothing to do with Jeff's wife. It was the result of her delight and
pride in this man himself who was called upon, and looked to, for
leadership, in this little world of theirs.

"You'll----"

"I'll handle things here for you, Jeff." Nan gave him no chance to
make his appeal. "Elvine shall be as safe as we can make her. She can
come right over here till you get back, or I'll sleep at your place.
It shall be just as she feels. She shan't be lonesome, and I guess my
Daddy an' me we're equal to any crowd of rustlers."

The genuineness, even enthusiasm of the girl was quite transparent.
Nor was the man insensible to it. For all his preoccupation he
realized something of his debt to these people, to Nan. It was a debt
he had never attempted to pay, and now its rapid mounting made even
ultimate payment seem doubtful.

"You're pretty good to me, Nan," was all he trusted himself to say.

Nan shook her head in smiling denial.

"Women need to help each other in--these parts."

But Jeff did not accept her excuse.

"Maybe that's so," he said thoughtfully. "But it don't alter things a
little bit. I'd just like to feel I deser