a sunset glare deepening about him, he
went striding over the dune and out of sight.

* * * * *

I turned and stared back at the camp. The pursuit had passed the well
and was headed for me. But no one paid the slightest attention to me.
Twelve men passed me, walking three abreast. Bill came along in their
wake, his eyes stony hard. He reached out as he passed me, gripping my
shoulder, giving me a foot-of-the-gallows kind of smile.

"We know now who killed Ned," he whispered. "We know, fella. Take it
easy, relax."

My head was throbbing, but I could see the big prints from where I
stood--the prints of a murderer betrayed by his insatiable urge to slay.

I saw Kenny pass, and he gave me a contemptuous grin. He had done his
best to destroy me, but there was no longer any hate left in me.

I took a slow step forward--and fell flat on my face....

I woke up with my head in Molly's lap. She was looking down into my
face, sobbing in a funny sort of way and running her fingers through my
hair.

She looked startled when she saw that I was wide awake. She blinked
furiously and started fumbling at her waist for a handkerchief.

"I must have passed out cold," I said. "It's quite a strain to be at the
receiving end of a lynching bee. And what I saw afterwards wasn't
exactly pleasant."

"Darling," she whispered, "don't move, don't say a word. You're going to
be all right."

"You bet I am!" I said. "Right now I feel great."

My arm went around her shoulder, and I drew her head down until her
breath was warm on my face. I kissed her hair and lips and eyes for a
full minute in utter recklessness.

When I released her her eyes were shining, and she was laughing a little
and crying too. "You've changed your mind," she said. "You believe me
now, don't you?"

"Don't talk," I said. "Don't say another word. I just want to look at
you."

"It was you right from the start," she said. "Not Ned--or anyone else."

"I was a blind fool," I said.

"You never gave me a second glance."

"One glance was enough," I whispered. "But when I saw how it seemed to
be between you and Ned--"

"I was never in love with him. It was just--"

"Never mind, don't say it," I said. "It's over and done with."

I stopped, remembering. Her eyes grew wide and startled, and I could see
that she was remembering too.

"What happened?" I asked. "Did they catch that vicious rat?"

She brushed back her hair, the sunligh