ey make a wonderful pair, don't they?" she said to him. "Both
Western, full of life and mutual interest."

Miranda Bailey, driving over, created a welcome diversion.

"I've brought a telegram out for you, Mr. Westlake," she said. "The
operator phoned us to see if any one was coming over. Said you left word
you were at the Three Star. Here it is. When you goin' to have your
phone put into the ranch, Sandy?"

"Company promised to finish the party line next month," answered Sandy.
"Held up for poles."

He answered with his eyes on the yellow envelope that Westlake, with an
apology, was opening. The engineer read it and passed it to Molly. Sandy
saw her face glow.

"That's fine!" she exclaimed. "But it means you've got to go. I'm sorry
for that."

The relief that Sandy felt, and dismissed as selfish, was marred by the
cordial understanding that had sprung up between the two. He wondered if
they had discovered a real attachment for each other. Such things could
happen in a flash. His view was apt to be jaundiced, but he did not
realize that.

"I'll have to go first thing to-morrow," said Westlake. "I'm sorry, too.
They've come up to my counter-offer, Bourke, and they want me to come on
immediately. It means a lot to me. Everything," he added, with a smile
that Molly returned.

"You'll write?" she said. "You promised."

Kate Nicholson looked at Sandy with arching eyebrows. She too appeared
to scent romance, to approve of it. Miranda broke in.

"I'm sure glad it's good news," she said.

Sandy fancied she was about to ask about Keith. He knew her curiosity
to be lively, though he thought her tact would appreciate the situation
with regard to Molly. "I've got some of my own," she continued. "There's
been trouble out to Jim Plimsoll's. He shot at Wyatt or Wyatt at him, I
don't know which rightly. But there was sides taken an' a gen'ral
rumpus. Several of his men quit or was run off the place. It's been a
reg'lar scandal. Called the place the Waterline. Whiskyline w'ud have
suited it better, I reckon. Plimsoll's aimin' to sell out, Ed heard.
It'll be a good riddance."

"Whoever buys the stock is takin' a long chance," said Mormon. "Aimin'
to sell, is he?"

"I'll have a telegram fo' you to take back, Mirandy," said Sandy. "You
sendin' one, Westlake?"

"If you'll take it, Miss Bailey."

"Glad to."

Westlake and Molly were both standing. They moved toward the door and
out to the moonlit veranda together.

"The