ture of protest.

"You forget," he said soberly, "that when I met Marta and fell in love
with her, I didn't know about--her. Bender had told him about you before
he met you, and then he thought you belonged to me."

"Jo, if you had known Marta stole before you met her, wouldn't you have
loved her and asked her to marry you?"

"I don't know," he said frankly, "and I don't care about 'might have
beens.' I know I love her now and always shall. That is enough."

"Miss Penny Ante," he continued, as she did not answer him, "you don't
know Kurt Walters as I do. He is a square man, square as a die."

"Yes, Jo," she said softly. "He is a real man--a square man. I know it
now, too late."

"Not too late. Not if you care. Go back with me to the ranch. He has gone
to town with the children to meet the Kingdons. Mrs. Kingdon is there,
too. They will all be back to-night."

"No, Jo; it's too late."

"Why?"

"Because I gave Francis a letter telling him everything. He might overlook
what he did know, but I understand his pride. He'll never overlook the
other. He'll not forgive the deception."

"Go to him unexpectedly, Miss Penny Ante. A man off guard, you know. Come
back to Top Hill with me."

"No; I am going to wait here until Larry comes back. I must."

"Who is he, and what is he to you?" asked Jo resentfully and
suspiciously.

"So you see, Jo," she said, when she had finished a brief account of
Larry's entrance into her life, "I can't go back with you. Don't tell
anyone but Marta where you found me. Ask her to forgive me for being so
stupid about the ring. I'll walk down to your car with you."

They walked slowly without speaking until they came to the inn. She looked
at the car wistfully.

"I haven't been in this poor, little old car since that first ride to Top
Hill," she said reminiscently.

He made no reply, but got into the car and put his hand on the wheel.

"Jo!"

"Well," he answered in the tone of one balked in his intentions.

"He'll get over it."

"No; men like Kurt don't get over anything like that. I know what it is to
love without hope. I am sorry for Kurt. You'll be sorry for him, too, some
day."

She had come close to the car, and he looked into her eyes as he said
impressively:

"He loved you from that very first night."

"That very first night!" she echoed. "Not surely on that ride from
town--from jail to Top Hill! Why, he fairly hated me then!"

"You're not hep to Kurt," he declared.