hing shall
part us. I love you as I have never loved anybody in my life--and I
just want only you. Now tell me this other reason, dear."

But Diane still hesitated. Her evident distress wrung her lover's
heart. He realized now that there was something very serious behind it
all. He had never beheld anything so pitiful as the look with which
she turned toward him, and further tried to put him off.

"Father says you are to leave this house to-day. Afterward you will be
turned off the ranch. It is only through the sheriff backing the
doctor's orders that you were not turned out of here before."

Tresler made no response for a moment. Then he burst out into a hard,
mirthless laugh.

"So!" he exclaimed, his laugh dying abruptly. "Listen to me. Your
father can turn me out of this house--though I'll save him that
trouble--but he can't turn me off this ranch. My residence here is
bought and paid for for three years. The agreement is signed and
sealed. No, no, let him try another bluff." Then his manner changed to
one of gentle persuasion. "But you have not come to the real reason,
little one. Out with it. It is a bitter plum, I can tell. Something
which makes you dread not only its consequences, but--something else.
Tell it me, Danny. Whatever it is you may be sure of me. My love for
you is unalterable. Believe me, nothing shall come between us."

His voice was infinitely tender, and its effect on Diane was to set
two great tears rolling down her cheeks as she listened. He had driven
her to a corner, and there was no escape. But even so she made one
more effort to avoid her shameful disclosure.

"Will--will you not take me at my word, Jack?" she asked imploringly.

"Not in this, dearest," he replied.

He spoke inexorably, but with such a world of love in his voice that
the long-pent tears came with a rush. He let her weep. He felt it
would do her good. And, after a while, when her sobs had ceased, he
urged her again.

"Tell me," he whispered.

"I----"

The man waited with wonderful patience.

"Oh, don't--don't make me!" she cried.

"Yes, I must."

And at last her answer came in the faintest of whispers.

"I--I--father is--is only my legal father. He was away three years. I
was born three days before he returned."

"Well, well." Tresler sat quite still for a moment while the simple
girl sat cowering under the weight of her mother's shame. Then he
suddenly reached out and caught her in his arms. "Why, Danny,"