kes quite a hero of you," she said composedly.
"I think I have seen you--from a distance, you know."

The small whiteness of her hand was swallowed up in the lean brown of
his.

"Hampton's a prevaricator," he said gravely, as he looked down into the
merry blue eyes turned up to him. "But he's a gentleman I have to
thank for the introduction. I am very happy to know you, Miss
Langworthy."

"And now," cried Marcia, slipping her hand out of Lee's and going to a
chair near the table, "do tell me all about that terrible, terrible
night. But do you think we are quite safe here now, Mr. Lee?"

To herself Judith was saying: "Just the type to be Bud Lee's ideal
lady!"

When they left the cabin, an hour later, Judith challenged Hampton to a
ride and so left Marcia and Bud Lee to follow leisurely.

XVI

POKER FACE AND A WHITE PIGEON

Mrs. Simpson had made a discovery. It was epoch-marking! It was
tremendous. Nothing short of that! So, at the very least, Mrs.
Simpson was prepared to maintain stoutly in the face of possible
ridicule.

Though, as Judith's housekeeper, she had sufficient household duties on
her plump shoulders to send a less doughty woman creeping wearily to
bed with the chickens, she found time before the dawn and long after
nightfall to keep her eye upon that Black Spanish and his recruit and
treacherous ally, Fujioki.

One morning, very early, Mrs. Simpson, from the thick curtains of the
living-room, saw Jose "prowling around suspicious-like in the
courtyard!" She thrilled at the sight. She always thrilled to Jose.
The half-breed had gone silently, "sneaking-like," by Judith's outer
door. He had paused there, listening. He had gone back to the
courtyard, hesitating, pretending that he was looking at the roses!
Such a ruse on the part of so black-hearted a villain inspired in the
scarcely breathing Mrs. Simpson a vast disgust. As if he could fool
_her_ like that, pottering around among the roses!

She, too, sought to move silently in his wake, though under her ample
weight the veranda creaked audibly. Still, making less noise than
usual, she peered through the lilacs. She saw Jose at the base of the
knoll, going swiftly toward the stables. She saw another man who,
evidently, was a third of the "gang," and who, of course, had risen
early to creep out of the men's bunkhouse before the others were awake,
to meet Jose. Screening herself behind the lilacs, her heart throbbing
as