ms that way, but I could see she was wonderfully attracted by
Ben and his singing that night here."

"That may be; so was I. Anyhow, I agree with Frank: it would be cruel to
say such a thing--even if it were so, which I don't for an instant
believe. At the same time, I admit the connection will make talk and may
create a prejudice. Maybe we'd better see Ben." She looked at her
husband.

He waved a protesting finger before his face. "Not on your life! Ben and
I are friends. I like him immensely--too much to think of running such a
frightful risk of offending him. If you interfere you do so at your own
peril."

Lee finally acquiesced in his judgment, and Mrs. Crego went home more
deeply troubled than her acquaintance with Alice Heath would seem to
warrant. "Helen's an estimable person," said Frank Congdon, "and on the
whole I like her; but I wish she didn't take quite so much evil for
granted."

So as no one warned Ben Fordyce, he went gayly forward and hired a
couple of nice rooms in a sightly block, and hung out a gilded sign. "I
am a citizen of Colorado now," he said to the Captain and Bertha the
first time they called at his office.

Alice was there, and they were deep in discussion of the merits of a
pile of new rugs which were to match the wall-paper. Ben stoutly stood
for the "ox-blood" and she for the "old gold." Ben explained. "The
entire extravagance of this office is due to her." He pointed an
accusing finger at Alice, who nodded shamelessly. "I was all for
second-hand stuff, both for economy's sake and to show I'd been in
practice a long time."

"You'd need a battered second-hand set of whiskers to match," she
replied, and they all laughed at the notion. "No, Captain, being sure
Ben couldn't deceive anybody as to his age and experience, I argued for
signs of prosperity. New-born success has its weight, you know."

"Sure it has."

"People like silken rugs and mahogany furniture, even in the West."

"They do," Haney agreed.

Bertha, standing silently by, was vaguely resenting Alice's presence.
This feeling was not defined, but it was strong enough to darken her
face and take the sparkle out of her eyes. She would have liked to do
this work of fitting up his rooms; and he, on his part, saw that she was
in sombre mood, and sought opportunity to come to where she stood. "I'm
being congratulated on all sides for becoming a citizen of Colorado.
It's quite like being initiated into some new club. In an Ea