u until you had vanished and I could not find you. I
have searched everywhere, and every hour since your vanishing has been
an hour of restless torture for me. It seems to me that I loved you,
Bessie, as no man ever loved a girl before. You gave me no opportunity
to declare my love, but I declare it now. It's as strong as it was
then--and stronger. I swore I would find you some time. I vowed you
should be mine. I have found you, and I intend to keep that vow. What's
this, little girl--you're weeping? You won't deny me longer? You are
Bessie--Bessie, my own!"

"Yes," she answered chokingly, "I am Bessie!"

CHAPTER XII.

A HEART LAID BARE.

It was the truth at last. His heart leaped madly. But when he reached
for her she started back.

"Don't touch me!" came huskily from her lips. "You must not!"

"Mustn't?"

"No."

"Why, Bessie, I still----"

"You can't forget that I am the child of a cattle thief--a criminal!"

"That's not your fault, little girl. I can forget it. I have forgotten
it."

"It's impossible," she declared, shaking her head.

"Such talk is folly, Bessie. Your father's misdeeds should not blight
your life. I will not have it so! You were innocent."

She turned her face toward him, and those wonderful dark eyes looked
sadly into his. There were tears trembling on the long lashes.

"You know I'm not foolish, Berlin Carson," she said, in a strangely
hardened tone. "In the old days on the ranch I was no soft-hearted,
light-headed girl."

"You were the most bewitching and fascinating creature the Colorado sun
ever shone upon. There was always a mystery about you, and it bound me
with a magic spell. The years since I saw you last have made that spell
more potent and powerful."

"Still, I'm the daughter of a man who rustled cattle. He did not rustle
them in the good old-fashioned way. Instead of that, he stole them after
the manner that a sneak thief picks a pocket. He did his work by
altering the brands. He posed as another man. He sought to lay all the
blame on the shoulders of Laramie Dave, a known rustler."

"Why talk of that, Bessie?"

"I lived on the Flying Dollars Ranch. Dressed as a boy, I rode the range
with my father's cattlemen, who helped him rustle. Do you think I knew
nothing of what was taking place? Do you think I was silly enough and
soft enough to be deceived? You must understand that I knew my father
was a criminal."

Carson shivered a little, but it was not becau