nce; the judge studied the young man's
face. Something that he saw in it must have pleased him, for he smiled,
becoming serious instantly.

"I am sorry you could not get here in time," he said. "We buried your
father yesterday."

"I couldn't make it," returned the young man regretfully. "I should have
liked to see him before he died. Where did you bury him?"

"We took him out to his ranch--the Circle Bar," returned the judge,
"where he said he wanted to be buried when he died. You'll find that the
Circle Bar boys have done their best for him--which was little enough.
Poor fellow, he deserved something better." He looked keenly at the
young man.

Lines of pain came into the latter's face; he bowed his head, nodding at
the Judge's words.

"I have always thought that it was his own fault," he said gently. "It
might have been different." He looked slowly up at the judge, his face
reddening with embarrassment. "Of course you know something of his
life," he said. "You were his friend--he wrote me a while back, telling
me that. I don't pretend to know what came between him and mother," he
continued; "mother would never tell and father never mentioned it in his
letters. I have thought it was drink," he added, watching the judge's
face closely. He caught the latter's slight nod and his lips
straightened. "Yes, it must have been drink," he continued; "I have
inferred that from what mother has hinted now and then. But----" and a
wistful gleam came into his eyes--"I have hoped that it would not be
drink that would cause his----"

He caught the judge's slow, grave nod and he broke off abruptly, his
eyes filling with an expression of resignation. "Well," he said, "it is
ended, no matter what did it." He shoved back his chair. "I thank you
for what you did for him," he added, rising; "I assure you that if it is
possible for me to repay----"

"Sit down," said the judge, waving a hand to the young man's chair. "No
thanks are due me. I did only what any friend would do for another. I
have arranged for you to go out to the Circle Bar," he informed Hollis
as the latter hesitated over resuming his chair. "Neil Norton, your
range boss, is to be here at six o'clock with the buckboard." He
consulted his watch. "He ought to be here in half an hour--if he is on
time. Meantime there are some things I would like to say to you."

Hollis smiled. "Fire away," he directed.

The judge leaned his elbows on the table and narrowed his eyes at