--all they said was that I had
lost. I went back home and thought it over and decided never to let
him know--Mr. Rossiter, I mean; he had been so kind to me, and I hadn't
done what he said. I found out afterwards that, shortly after I had
left him, he had deliberately wrecked the price; and he, poor man, was
thinking all the time, what a favor he had done his old friend's
daughter."

She laughed, short and mirthlessly, and Rimrock sat looking at her, his
eyes once more big with surprise. She was not the inexperienced
creature he had taken her for, she was a woman with high spots in her
career.

"Well, then what did you do?" he enquired at last as she showed no
disposition to proceed. "How'd you come to get out here? Did you know
old McBain or----"

"Say, can't you start that engine?" she spoke up sharply. "Let's go on
and forget about the rest. I'm here, we know that; and I only told you
what I did to break you of gambling in stocks."

"No, that engine is stalled," he said with authority, "but I'll get it
to go, when it's time. But say, tell me something--we're going to be
friends, you know--does Rossiter know where you are now?"

"Oh, yes," she answered, "I write to him frequently. He thinks I'm out
here for my health. I have this trouble, you know, and the doctors
advised me to come out where the air is dry."

"Well, you're a peach," observed Rimrock admiringly. "And the old man
still thinks you're rich? What'll he say, do you think, when he hears
of your latest--getting in on this Tecolote strike?"

"Oh, I won't dare tell him," she answered quickly. "I'm afraid he
wouldn't approve. And may I make a suggestion? If you'll throw on
your spark I think your engine will run."

"Say, you scare me!" said Rimrock with a guilty grin. "You're so smart
you make me afraid. I'll crank her up, too--do you think that would
help some? Huh, huh; I get caught every time!"

CHAPTER IX

YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND

"Well, well," remarked Rimrock after he had started his machine and the
desert was gliding smoothly by, "so that's why they call you Miss
Fortune, eh? Losing all your money on that stock."

The silent woman who sat beside him closed her lips, but made no reply.
He glanced at her curiously. She was deaf, of course, though she
seldom showed it--perhaps she had failed to hear.

"But that can be fixed," he said, speaking louder, "you can cut off
that Miss, any time."

"Yes," she said with a to