intermittent crying did not tend to make him more
comfortable.

The silent procession at last turned in at the great ranch gate and rode
up to the house. Just as they stopped and the door of the house swung
open, letting out a flood of light, Rosa leaned toward Gardley and
whispered:

"Please, Mr. Gardley, don't tell papa. I'll do _anything_ in the world
for you if you won't tell papa."

He looked at the pretty, pitiful child in the moonlight. "I'm sorry,
Miss Rosa," he said, firmly. "But you don't understand. I must do my
duty."

"Then I shall hate you!" she hissed. "Do you hear? I shall _hate_ you
forever, and you don't know what that means. It means I'll take my
_revenge_ on you and on _everybody you like_."

He looked at her half pityingly as he swung off his horse and went up
the steps to meet Mr. Rogers, who had come out and was standing on the
top step of the ranch-house in the square of light that flickered from a
great fire on the hearth of the wide fireplace. He was looking from one
to another of the silent group, and as his eyes rested on his daughter
he said, sternly:

"Why, Rosa, what does this mean? You told me you were going to bed with
a headache!"

Gardley drew his employer aside and told what had happened in a few
low-toned sentences; and then stepped down and back into the shadow, his
horse by his side, the three men from the camp grouped behind him. He
had the delicacy to withdraw after his duty was done.

Mr. Rogers, his face stern with sudden anger and alarm, stepped down and
stood beside his daughter. "Rosa, you may get down and go into the house
to your own room. I will talk with you later," he said. And then to the
young man, "You, sir, will step into my office. I wish to have a plain
talk with you."

A half-hour later Forsythe came out of the Rogers house and mounted his
horse, while Mr. Rogers stood silently and watched him.

"I will bid you good evening, sir," he said, formally, as the young man
mounted his horse and silently rode away. His back had a defiant look in
the moonlight as he passed the group of men in the shadow; but they did
not turn to watch him.

"That will be all to-night, Gardley, and I thank you very much," called
the clear voice of Mr. Rogers from his front steps.

The four men mounted their horses silently and rode down a little
distance behind the young man, who wondered in his heart just how much
or how little Gardley had told Rosa's father.

The inter