home. Evidently he
was able to go out. Upon the fourth day he called to her and knocked for
admittance. Joan let him in, and saw that he was now almost well again,
once more cool, easy, cheerful, with his strange, forceful air.

"Good day, Joan. You don't seem to be pining for your--negligent
husband."

He laughed as if he mocked himself, but there was gladness in the very
sight of her, and some indefinable tone in his voice that suggested
respect.

"I didn't miss you," replied Joan. Yet it was a relief to see him.

"No, I imagine not," he said, dryly. "Well, I've been busy with
men--with plans. Things are working out to my satisfaction. Red Pearce
got around Gulden. There's been no split. Besides, Gulden rode off.
Someone said he went after a little girl named Brander. I hope he gets
shot.... Joan, we'll be leaving Cabin Gulch soon. I'm expecting news
that'll change things. I won't leave you here. You'll have to ride the
roughest trails. And your clothes are in tatters now. You've got to have
something to wear."

"I should think so," replied Joan, fingering the thin, worn, ragged
habit that had gone to pieces. "The first brush I ride through will tear
this off."

"That's annoying," said Kells, with exasperation at himself. "Where on
earth can I get you a dress? We're two hundred miles from everywhere.
The wildest kind of country.... Say, did you ever wear a man's outfit?"

"Ye-es, when I went prospecting and hunting with my uncle," she replied,
reluctantly.

Suddenly he had a daring and brilliant smile that changed his face
completely. He rubbed his palms together. He laughed as if at a huge
joke. He cast a measuring glance up and down her slender form.

"Just wait till I come back," he said.

He left her and she heard him rummaging around in the pile of trappings
she had noted in a corner of the other cabin. Presently he returned
carrying a bundle. This he unrolled on the bed and spread out the
articles.

"Dandy Dale's outfit," he said, with animation. "Dandy was a would-be
knight of the road. He dressed the part. But he tried to hold up a stage
over here and an unappreciative passenger shot him. He wasn't killed
outright. He crawled away and died. Some of my men found him and they
fetched his clothes. That outfit cost a fortune. But not a man among us
could get into it."

There was a black sombrero with heavy silver band; a dark-blue blouse
and an embroidered buckskin vest; a belt full of cartridges