ad. So help me God I'll kill
you. If one o' you touches him he's goin' to die."

He saw Bim Kelso at the window with her gun leveled at the head of
McNoll. Her face was red with anger. Her eyes glowed. As he looked a
tear welled from one of them and trailed down the scarlet surface of her
cheek. McNoll turned without a word and walked sulkily out of the back
door. The others crowded after him. They ran as soon as they had got out
of the door. She left the window. In a moment the young men were
galloping away.

Bim came into the house sobbing with emotion but with her head erect.
She stood her gun in a corner and knelt by the helpless boy. He was
crying also. Her hair fell upon his face as she looked at the spot of
deep scarlet color made by the shot bag. She kissed it and held her cheek
against his and whispered: "Don't cry. It's all over now. I'm going to
cut these ropes."

It was as if she had known and loved him always. She was like a young
mother with her first child. Tendeny she wiped his tears away with her
blond, silken hair. She cut his bonds and he rose and stood before her.
Her face changed like magic.

"Oh what a fool I've been!" she exclaimed.

"Why so?" he asked.

"I cried and I kissed you and we never have been introduced to each
other."

She covered her eyes with her hair and with bent head went out of the
door.

"I'll never forget that kiss as long as I live," said the boy as he
followed her. "I'll never forget your help or your crying either."

"How I must have looked!" she went on, walking toward her pony that was
hitched to a near tree.

"You were beautiful!" he exclaimed.

"Go away from me--I won't speak to you," she said. "Go back to your work.
I'll stay here and keep watch."

The boy returned to his task pointing up the inside walls but his mind
and heart were out in the sunlight talking with Bim. Once he looked out
of the door and saw her leaning against the neck of the pony, her face
hidden in his mane. When the sun was low she came to the door and said:

"You had better stop now and go home."

She looked down at the ground and added:

"Please, please, don't tell on me."

"Of course not," he answered. "But I hope you won't be afraid of me any
more."

She looked up at him with a little smile. "Do you think I'm afraid of
_you_?" she asked as if it were too absurd to be thought of. She
unhitched and mounted her pony but did not go.

"I do wish you could raise a mustache," sh