For all of her social schooling, Helen was not proof against the sneer
in his words, even though she fully saw through his purpose to wound
her. She felt her temper rising, and with it came curiosity to learn how
far the relationship between Wade and Dorothy Purnell had really gone.
That Moran would exaggerate it, she felt sure, for he had his own ends
to gain, but possibly from out of his exaggeration she could glean some
truth. Yet she did not want to go so far in her anger as to gratify his
malice, and this placed her in something of a dilemma.

"I don't believe that she is 'Wade's girl,' as you call her, at all,"
she said coldly. "They may be good friends, and if so, I'm glad; but
they are nothing more than that. There is no 'understanding' between
them."

Moran carelessly waved his hand in the direction of the rain-swept
street, illuminated now and then by the lightning.

"Ask any one in Crawling Water."

"That sounds well, but it's impracticable, even if I wanted to do it. I
prefer to draw my own conclusions."

The agent drew up a chair with his well hand, and sat down with that
easy familiarity that came so natural to him. Helen watched him, lazily
impertinent.

"I've been wanting to have a talk with you, Helen," he began, "and this
looks like a good chance to me. You've been foolish about Wade. Yes, I
know that you're thinking that I've got my own ends to further, which is
true enough. I have. I admit it. But what I am going to tell you is
true, also. Fortune's been playing into my hand here lately. Now, if
you'll be reasonable, you'll probably be happier. Shall I go on?"

"Wild horses couldn't stop you," she answered, amused that he seemed
flattered. "But if we were in Washington, I fancy I'd have you shown
out."

"We're not in Washington, my dear girl." He wagged his finger at her, in
the way her father had, to give emphasis to his words. "That's where
you've made your mistake with Wade. We're all just plain men and women
out here in the cattle country, and I'm talking its language, not the
language of drawing-rooms." He was himself a little surprised at the
swift dilation of her pupils, but his words had probed deeper than he
knew, reminding her as they did of the truth which she had so fully
realized that afternoon. "Wade liked you--loved you, maybe, in Chicago,
but this ain't the East. He cares nothing for you here, and he'd never
be happy away from here. You know that picture of yourself that yo