ll enough, or he wouldn't have hearkened to you a
minute," she said quickly. "When you opened out about them greenbacks, I
jes' clutched my cheer SO," she illustrated her words with a gesture
of her hands, and her face actually seemed to grow pale at the
recollection,--"and I nigh started up to stop ye; but that idea of Yuba
Bill bein' robbed TWICE I think tickled him awful. But it was lucky none
o' the gang heard ye or suspected anything. I reckon that's why he sent
me with you,--to keep them from doggin' you and askin' questions that
a straight man like you would be sure to answer. But they daren't
come nigh ye as long as I'm with you!" She threw back her head and
rose-crested hat with a mock air of protection that, however, had a
certain real pride in it.

"I am very glad of that, if it gives me the chance of having your
company alone," returned Brice, smiling, "and very grateful to your
uncle, whatever were his reasons for making you my guide. But you have
already been that to me," and he told her of the footprints. "But for
you," he added, with gentle significance, "I should not have been here."

She was silent for a moment, and he could only see the back of her head
and its heavy brown coils. After a pause she asked abruptly, "Where's
your handkerchief?"

He took it from his pocket; her ingenious uncle's bullet had torn rather
than pierced the cambric.

"I thought so," she said, gravely examining it, "but I kin mend it as
good as new. I reckon you allow I can't sew," she continued, "but I do
heaps of mendin', as the digger squaw and Chinamen we have here do only
the coarser work. I'll send it back to you, and meanwhiles you keep
mine."

She drew a handkerchief from her pocket and handed it to him. To his
great surprise it was a delicate one, beautifully embroidered, and
utterly incongruous to her station. The idea that flashed upon him,
it is to be feared, showed itself momentarily in his hesitation and
embarrassment.

She gave a quick laugh. "Don't be frightened. It's bought and paid for.
Uncle Harry don't touch passengers' fixin's; that ain't his style.
You oughter know that." Yet in spite of her laugh, he could see the
sensitive pout of her lower lip.

"I was only thinking," he said hurriedly and sympathetically, "that it
was too fine for me. But I will be proud to keep it as a souvenir of
you. It's not too pretty for THAT!"

"Uncle gets me these things. He don't keer what they cost," she went on,
ig