l them ignorant and stupid because their unfamiliarity with
the language and customs make them appear so, but they are neither too
ignorant nor stupid to misunderstand an incident like this. Are the men
still on the works?"

The deputy nodded.

"If you'll loan me your horse I'll ride out and see them myself. My
understudy can perhaps stand another day with the sheep without going
crazy. When I come back I may be in a better position to call upon the
lady doc and talk it over. She's fond of me, you know."

"So I've noticed." Dan Treu grinned as he recalled the invariable
exchange of personalities when they met.

XXV

CROWHEART DEMANDS JUSTICE

The utterly insignificant telegraph operator at an equally insignificant
railway station in Mexico loomed a person of colossal importance to
Ogden Van Lennop, who had calculated that the reply to his telegram was
considerably more than a week overdue. As he went once more to the
telegraph office, the only reason of which he could think for being glad
that he was the principal owner in the only paying mine in the vicinity
was that the operator did not dare laugh in his face.

"Anything for me?"

"Nothing; not yet, sir."

The operator's voice and manner were respectful, but Van Lennop saw his
teeth gleam beneath his dark mustache. He had found it quite useless to
assure Van Lennop that he need not trouble himself to call as any
telegram would be delivered immediately upon its receipt, also he had
been long enough in the service to know that young Americans of Van
Lennop's type did not ordinarily become so intense over a matter of
business.

"Could it have gone astray--this infernal name--it looks like a piece of
barbed wire when it's spelled out--is there another place of the same
name in Mexico?"

"Not in the world, sir."

"I didn't think so," returned Van Lennop grimly. He continued: "I want
you to telegraph the operator in Crowheart and find out positively if
the message was delivered to the person to whom it was sent."

"I'll get it off at once, sir."

So this was being "in love?"--this frenzy of impatience, this unceasing
anxiety which would not let him sleep! It seemed to Van Lennop that he
had nearly run the emotional gamut since leaving Crowheart and all that
remained to be experienced was further depths of doubt and dark despair.
Had he been too sure of her, he asked himself; had something in his
letter or the sending of his telegram displeased her