Ed Sorenson, of
trust bestowed and of love plighted. That passage in her life seemed
to leave her contaminated forever. It burned in her soul like a
disgrace or a dishonorable act. But Steele Weir--and she swam in
glorious ether at the thought--did not appear to view it in that
light.

Juanita running in the twilight to the house interrupted her
introspection.

"I came to tell you," the Mexican girl exclaimed panting before
Janet.

"Tell me what?" For Juanita's reappearance in itself was unusual, as
Sunday afternoon and evening were her own to spend at home.

"People are saying Mr. Weir is to be arrested and hanged from a tree
in the court house yard! Everybody has come to town to see. Three
uncles and aunts and nine cousins of ours have already come to our
house from where they live four miles down the river. All the town is
talking about it. But though I said nothing, I knew how Mr. Weir had
saved you and that he had done nothing to be hanged for. If anybody is
to be killed it ought to be that Ed Sorenson."

"Are you sure of this, Juanita?"

"Yes, yes, Miss Janet. It is so."

"Then this is part of the plot against him; let me think. They might
arrest him but they would never dare try to hang him, unless they
could pretend----"

What they might pretend Janet never stated, as at that instant a motor
car dashed up and stopped before the gate. Even in the gloom she made
out that the figure garbed in a gray dust coat was Sorenson's.
Springing out of the machine, he jerked the gate open and strode
towards the house, while a premonition of a fresh and unpleasant turn
of affairs quivered in Janet's mind.

"I've come back again, you see," he said. "Step inside where you can
hear what I have to say."

The words were like an order; the man's manner, indeed, was
overbearing and brutal. But the girl concealing her resentment,
preceded him into the house and bade Juanita light a lamp.

"And now you get out!" Sorenson commanded the servant in so savage a
tone that she fled to the kitchen without waiting to consult Janet's
eyes. "I see your father isn't here," he continued, addressing Janet.

The latter made no reply. To be sure, Dr. Hosmer was not in the room
but he was in the house, sleeping. Let the cattleman think him absent
if he wished.

"So much the better; if he's not about, he won't try to interfere,"
the man went on. "Now, my girl, I've learned all about your tricks,
and----"

"Sir, you talk like that