-she likes you a great deal, Johnny."

Aldous reached over and gripped MacDonald's hand.

"The good Lord bless you, Donald! We'll stick! As for Quade and Culver
Rann----"

"I've been thinkin' of them," interrupted MacDonald. "You haven't got time
to waste on them, Johnny. Leave 'em to me. If it's only a week you've got
to be close an' near by Mis' Joanne. I'll find out what Quade an' Rann are
doing, and what they're goin' to do. I've got a scheme. Will you leave 'em
to me?"

Aldous nodded, and in the same breath informed MacDonald of Peggy
Blackton's invitation. The old hunter chuckled exultantly. He stopped his
horse, and Aldous halted.

"It's workin' out fine, Johnny!" he exclaimed. "There ain't no need of you
goin' any further. We understand each other, and there ain't nothin' for
you to do at the corral. Jump off your horse and go back. If I want you
I'll come to the Blacktons' 'r send word, and if you want me I'll be at the
corral or the camp in the coulee. Jump off, Johnny!"

Without further urging Aldous dismounted. They shook hands again, and
MacDonald drove on ahead of him the saddled horses and the pack. And as
Aldous turned back toward the bungalow old Donald was mumbling low in his
beard again, "God ha' mercy on me, but I'm doin' it for her an' Johnny--for
her an' Johnny!"

CHAPTER XVII

Half an hour later Blackton had shown Aldous to his room and bath. It was
four o'clock when he rejoined the contractor in the lower room, freshly
bathed and shaven and in a change of clothes. He had not seen Joanne, but
half a dozen times he had heard her and Peggy Blackton laughing and talking
in Mrs. Blackton's big room at the head of the stairs, and he heard them
now as they sat down to smoke their cigars. Blackton was filled with
enthusiasm over the accomplishment of his latest work, and Aldous tried
hard not to betray the fact that the minutes were passing with gruelling
slowness while he waited for Joanne. He wanted to see her. His heart was
beating like an excited boy's. He could hear her footsteps over his head,
and he distinguished her soft laughter, and her sweet voice when she spoke.
There was something tantalizing in her nearness and the fact that she did
not once show herself at the top of the stair. Blackton was still talking
about "coyotes" and dynamite when, an hour later, Aldous looked up, and his
heart gave a big, glad jump.

Peggy Blackton, a plump little golden-haired vision of happiness