very room, too."

The girl's glance wandered over the plain, neat furnishings, and the
rather pathetic attempts at decoration, yet with apparently no thought
for them.

"You--you have not told me where you were going."

He laughed, a little uneasily, as though he preferred to make light of
the whole matter.

"Really, I have hardly decided, the world is so wide, and I had no
reason to suppose you interested."

"But I am interested," resenting his tone of assumed indifference. "I
would not want to feel that our acquaintance was to wholly end now."

"Do you really mean that?"

"Why should I not? You have been a real friend to me; I shall remember
you always with a gratitude beyond words. I want you to know this, and
that--that I shall ever wish to retain that friendship."

Keith struggled with himself, doubtful of what he had best say, swayed
by unfamiliar emotions.

"You may be sure I shall never forget," he blurted forth, desperately,
"and, if you really wish it, I'll certainly see you again."

"I do," earnestly.

"Then, I'll surely find a way. I don't know now which direction we will
ride, but I'm not going very far until I clear up that murder out yonder
on the trail; that is my particular job just now."

Before she could answer, Mrs. Murphy reentered, and forced her to drink
the concoction prepared, the girl accepting with smiling protest. The
landlady, empty glass in hand, swept her eyes about the room.

"Bedad, but the place looks betther than iver Oi'd belaved, wid the
gyurl Oi've got tindin' to it. She's that lazy she goes ter slape
swapin' the flure. Jack, would ye moind hilpin' me move the bid; shure,
it's rale mahogany, an' so heavy it breaks me back intoirely to push it
'round."

He took hold willingly enough, and the two together ran the heavy
contrivance across the room to the position selected. Once a leg caught
in the rag carpet, and Keith lifted it out, bending low to get a firmer
grip. Then he held out his hand to the girl.

"It is not going to be good-bye then, Miss Hope; I'll find you."

She smiled up into his eyes, much of the weariness gone from her face.

"I am going to believe that," she answered, gladly, "because I want to."

Mrs. Murphy lingered until his steps sounded on the stairs, as he slowly
felt his way down through the darkness.

"He do be a moighty foine bye, Jack Keith," she said, apparently
addressing the side wall. "Oi wish Oi'd a knowed him whin Oi was a
gyurl;