ee, Miss Ruth," laughed the giant--while the crowd which had
followed them stood off at a little distance and watched--"it was like
this. Me an' the boys--an' your dad--had been tryin' for a long time to
ketch Singleton runnin' an iron on the Circle L cattle. Your dad an' me
had run a bunch into that gully near the Two Bar, an' tonight me an' the
boys was waitin' in the gully for your dad to bring Singleton there.
Your dad had been brandin' stolen stock--at my orders--an' tonight he
was goin' to refuse--makin' Singleton do it. For Singleton was really
doin' the rustlin'. An' your dad----"

"Was doing it all for you? Is that what you mean, Shorty?"

"Why, I reckon, Miss Ruth. You see----"

Ruth had to leap upward to do it. But somehow the height was achieved.
Two arms went around Shorty's neck and Ruth's lips were pressed against
his with a resounding smack.

"O Shorty!" she exclaimed as she hugged him tightly, after kissing him;
"I just _love_ you!"

Shorty blushed furiously. As soon as Ruth released him he grinned with
embarrassment and walked with giant strides down the street to where he
and his men had left the horses, the laughter and jibes of his fellows
following him.

CHAPTER XLIII

THE MAJESTY OF PEACE

As upon another day that was vivid in his memory, Governor Lawler sat at
his desk in his office in the capitol building. A big, keen-eyed man of
imposing appearance was sitting at a little distance from Lawler,
watching him. The big man was talking, but the governor seemed to be
looking past him--at the bare trees that dotted the spacious grounds
around the building. His gaze seemed to follow the low stone fence with
its massive posts that seemed to hint of the majesty of the government
Lawler served; it appeared that he was studying the bleak landscape, and
that he was not interested in what the big man was saying.

But Lawler was not interested in the landscape. For many minutes, while
listening to the big man--and answering him occasionally--he had been
watching for a trim little figure that he knew would presently appear on
one of the white walks leading to the great, wide steps that led to the
entrance to the building. For he had heard the long-drawn plaint of a
locomotive whistle some minutes before; he had seen the train itself
come gliding over the mammoth plains that stretched eastward from the
capitol; and he knew that Ruth would be on the train.

"The proposed bill is iniquitous,"