about it,
Ruth, an' wonderin' why Randerson don't salivate that durned dude! An'
the country expects him to do it, girl! They'll fun him out of here, if
he don't! Why, girl," he went on, "you don't know how much of a sneak a
man can be when he's got it in him!"

She was shuddering as though he had struck her, and he was on the edge of
his chair, looking at her pityingly, when Aunt Martha came to the door
and saw them. She was out on the porch instantly, flushing with
indignation.

"Jep Coakley, you're up to your tricks again, ain't you? You quit
devilin' that girl, now, an' go on about your business!"

"I've got some things to say, an' I cal'late to say them!" declared Uncle
Jepson determinedly. "I've kept still about it long enough. I ain't
wantin' to hurt her," he added apologetically, as Aunt Martha slipped to
her knees beside Ruth and put an arm around her, "but that durned Masten
has been doin' some things that she's got to know about, right now. An'
then, if she's set on marryin' him, why, I cal'late it's her business. It
was Masten who was behind Pickett kissin' her--he tellin' Pickett to do
it. An' he hired Kelso to kill Randerson."

"Oh, Ruth!" said Aunt Martha, her voice shaky, as she nestled her head
close to the girl's. But her eyes shone with satisfaction.

"There's another thing," went on Uncle Jepson to Ruth. "Did you notice
Randerson's face, the night he come to hunt you, when you hurt your
ankle? Marked up, kind of, it was, wasn't it? An' do you know what Masten
went to Las Vegas for? Business, shucks! He went there to get his face
nursed up, Ruth--because Randerson had smashed it for him! They'd had a
fight; I saw them, both comin' from the same direction, that night. I
reckon Randerson had pretty nigh killed him. What for?" he asked as Ruth
turned wide, questioning eyes on him. "Well, I don't rightly know. But
I've got suspicions. I've seen Masten goin' day after day through that
break in the canyon over there. A hundred times, I cal'late. An' I've
seen him here, when you wasn't lookin', kissin' that Catherson girl. I
cal'late, if you was to ask her, she'd be able to tell you a heap more
about Masten, Ruth."

Ruth got up, pale and terribly calm, disengaging herself from Aunt Martha
and standing before Uncle Jepson. He too got to his feet.

Ruth's voice quavered. "You wouldn't, oh, you couldn't lie to me, Uncle,
because you like Rex Randerson? Is it true?" She put her hands on his
shoulders and