ere's nothing in the world I want.' Helen had given him
her hand; he held it a little before he would let it free and looked
straight down into her eyes and kept on laughing gaily as he declared
with certain unmistakable boldness: 'Right now I've got every blessed
thing in the wide world I want.'

Sanchia said sharply: 'You must have been unusually successful in your
latest deal?'

'It's the next deal I'm thinking of,' he told her lightly, letting her
have the words to ponder on if she liked. But he had scant time for
Sanchia and his eyes came back to Helen. 'I've got to ride into the
new camp to see Roberts,' he told her. 'He's seen my mules and is
buying. How would an early ride suit you? And I'll show you how easy
it is to collect six hundred dollars before most folks have had
breakfast!'

'My, what a lot of money,' laughed Helen. 'Of course I'll come. You
know where I keep Danny. If you'll saddle for me I'll get ready and be
out in two minutes.'

When they rode away down the trail together, Longstreet was smiling,
and Sanchia frowning after them.

'She even eats with you?' queried Howard.

'I just thank Heaven she hasn't brought her bed in yet,' answered
Helen. 'She is as transparent as a piece of glass, and yet dear old
pops lets her pile the wool over his eyes as thick as she pleases. I'm
just giving her plenty of rope,' she added philosophically. 'Do that,
and people always get tangled up first and then hang themselves next,
don't they?'

'Give me plenty of rope!' he said eagerly. 'I'll just tie myself up,
hand and foot, and give you the end of the rope to hold.'

She laughed at him, touched Danny with her new spurs and shot ahead.

'You're nearly dying to tell me some good news,' she said when he had
come up with her again. 'Aren't you?'

'I want to show you a letter I got when I came in last night. But I'd
just as soon think of handing it over to a whirlwind as to you at the
rate you are going.'

They drew their horses down to a walk. From his pocket Howard took an
envelope; from the envelope brought forth a long blue slip of paper,
torn in two, and with a few words penned across the fragments in a big
running scrawl. He held the two pieces together for her to read; by
now the horses had stopped and, being old friends, were rubbing noses.
Helen read:

'Dear old Al: It took me a few days to see straight. Instead of
blocking your game, let me help whenever I can. Don't need th