ldings, revealing the tall cottonwoods about the court house
and elsewhere thrust up in the town.

Janet Hosmer breathed a sigh of relief. The darkness had seemed potent
for further evil, but now it was as if the latter retreated with the
shadows. She felt a desire to go on alone, to separate herself from
this companion with whom chance had brought her in contact at a
dramatic moment, to get away from the whole terrible affair.
Involuntarily her spirit shrank at the nearness of the man, for though
he had struck back in self-defense he nevertheless had killed another
and the act somehow appeared to set him apart from ordinary men,
isolate him, give him the character of an Ishmael.

Yet her feelings were confused. Against this inclination was an avid
curiosity, or rather a wonderment, as to what must now be occurring in
his soul. Her eyes sought his face as he walked beside her. Neither
had spoken; and his countenance wore the same stern contained aspect,
calm, forceful, as the first time she had ever observed it. But what
was below the surface? What were the thoughts now revolving in his
mind and the emotions flowing in his breast? She could read nothing
on that composed mask of a face. Was it possible for a man to slay
another human being, even justifiably, without suffering a hurricane
of the spirit?

But perhaps he had killed men before. The fact of his carrying a
weapon and his swift deadly fire pointed ominously to previous
experience.

"Did you ever shoot any one before?" popped from between her lips.
Then she stopped, clapping her hand over her mouth in consternation
and staring at him palely.

Weir had halted too. He regarded her in silence for a little, a slight
smile resting on his face. They stood before the cattle company's
office and his look went past her once to embrace the small darkened
building.

"I'm not a murderer by trade, if that's what you mean," said he, at
last. "But I've killed a man or two before, yes." Then at the white
anguish of her lips and cheeks, his tone softened a degree as he went
on. "Unfortunately since becoming of age I've had to fight. If not
men, then the earth. If not the earth, then men. Sometimes both
together. You saw what happened to-night; that fellow was unknown to
me. He was not a workman who had been discharged and felt he had a
grievance----"

"Oh, no!" she interjected. "The Mexicans here wouldn't attempt to
murder you, however angry they might feel."

"I'm n