s boy; everything's kept
quiet; and he goes around as big as life." With a muttered oath he
turned away, his lips shut hard and his beard sticking out savagely.

He came back to her again.

"The young one gets it from the old one," he exclaimed. "Bad crooked
blood in both of them. I know. I've been here ever since I was a boy
and remember things Sorenson believes every one has forgotten, I know
how he got his start, how he and the rest of his bunch cleaned out
Dent of his ranch and cattle gambling and then killed him when he
discovered they had used marked cards, how at the same time they
robbed another man----"

Janet struggled to her feet. She had covered her eyes and bowed her
head before the torrent of his vehemence.

"No more, I want to hear no more," she gasped. "Let me go home. I'm
sick."

"It all makes me sick, too," he answered. "Sick and sore, both. But
it's the truth. I'm sorry if it's been a bad pill to swallow, but it's
the God's truth, girl. I'm sorry it couldn't be any other way, but I
wouldn't see you marry that scoundrel if I lost a hand stopping you.
Mary felt sick at first, too; she's over it now. You'll not feel bad
long. Better stay for dinner with us."

"I couldn't swallow a bite. Thank you for your kindness in asking
me--and for telling me what I wanted to know, too. Father never knew,
or he would have warned me. People saw I was engaged to Ed Sorenson
and would say nothing to father, of course. I shall always count you
as one of my best friends, Mr. Johnson. And you too, Mary; you must
come down and stay with me sometime, for I imagine you get lonely
here. No, another day I'll remain to dinner--and I want to be alone
now."

They pressed her no further, seeing her wretchedness of spirit. But
they walked with her to the car and shook hands with her when she was
in and urged her to come again.

When she had disappeared in the aspens among which the trail led, Mary
said to her father:

"You said they killed a man named Dent."

"They did. I saw the killing."

"And nothing was ever done about it?"

"No. Nobody but me knew of the happening and I'd of had a bullet
through my heart if I'd talked. I might yet even now, so see that you
keep your mouth shut."

"You told her."

"I was mad, so mad I could say anything. But she isn't the kind to
repeat the story; I'm not afraid on that score. She's clean strain all
through."

"Did you know the man whom Sorenson and the others killed?" Mary