n she brought her riding whip down
against its flanks when turning from the corral gates, but it needed no
second urging, and its pace when it splashed through the shallow water of
the crossing was fully as great as that of Duncan's pony, which had
previously passed through it.

Once on the hard sand of the river trail it settled into a long, swinging
gallop, under which the miles flew by rapidly and steadily. Sheila drew
the animal up on the rises, breathing it sometimes, but on the levels she
urged it with whip and spur, and in something more than an hour after
leaving Doubler's cabin, she flashed by the quicksand crossing, which she
estimated as being not more than twelve miles from her journey's end.

She was tired after her long vigil at Doubler's side, but the weariness
was entirely physical, for her brain was working rapidly, filling her
thoughts with picturesque conjectures, drawing pictures in which she saw
Dakota being shot down by Allen's deputies. And he was innocent!

She did not blame herself for Dakota's dilemma, though she felt a keen
regret over her treatment of him, over her unjust suspicions. He had
really been in earnest when he had told her the night before on the river
trail that he was not guilty--that everybody had misjudged him. Vivid in
her recollection was the curious expression on his face when he had said
to her just before leaving her that night:

"Won't you believe me?"

And that other time, when he had taken her by the shoulders and looked
steadily into her eyes--she remembered that, too; she could almost feel
his fingers, and the words he had uttered then were fresh in her memory:
"I've treated you mean, Sheila, about as mean as a man could treat a
woman. I am sorry. I want you to believe that. And maybe some day--when
this business is over--you'll understand, and forgive me."

There had been mystery in his actions ever since she had seen him the
first time, and though she could not yet understand it, she had discovered
that there were forces at work in his affairs which seemed to indicate
that he had not told her that for the purpose of attempting to justify his
previous actions.

Evidently, whatever the mystery that surrounded him, her father and Duncan
were concerned in it, and this thought spurred her on, for it gave her a
keen delight to think that she was arrayed against them, even though she
were on the side of the man who had wronged her. He, at least, had not
been concern