here has never been a time during all our trouble, when, if you'd
only listened and trusted me, I wouldn't have helped you out. Now take
that letter that I wrote you in New York--I warned you they would jump
your claim! But when you didn't come and complete your assessment
work, I went up and jumped it myself. I got this great scar----" she
thrust back her hair--"coming down the Old Juan that night. But I did
it for you, I didn't do it for myself, and then--you wouldn't take back
your mine!"

She bowed her head to brush away the tears and Rimrock stared and
smiled at a thought.

"Well, I'll take it now," he said consolingly. "But I didn't
understand. I didn't know that you want to give things--I thought you
were on the make."

"Well, I was!" she declared, "I wanted all my rights--and I want them
all to-day. But if you'd trust me, Rimrock, if you'd always depend on
me to do the best that a woman can I'd--I'd give you anything--but you
always fight me. You always try to _take_!"

"Well, I won't any more," replied Rimrock penitently, yet with a
masterful look in his eyes. "But you'll have to make it easy, at
first."

"Why, what do you mean?" she asked rather tremulously. And then she
blushed and glanced swiftly about.

"All right, Rimrock," she whispered as she took both his hands and then
slipped into his arms. "I'll give you anything--if you'll only let me.
But remember, I do it myself."

CHAPTER XXIX

RIMROCK DOES IT HIMSELF

"Now, let's talk reason," said Rimrock at last as he put away her
hands. "Let's be reasonable--I don't know where I'm at. Say, where
have I been and what have I been up to? Am I the same feller that
blowed into town on the blind baggage, or is this all a part of the
dream?"

"It's a part of the dream," answered Mary with a sigh. "But if you
help, Rimrock, it may come true."

"Do you mean it?" he demanded. "Well, I guess you must or you wouldn't
give me a kiss like that. Say, you think a lot of me, now don't you,
Little Spitfire? I believe you'd go through hell for me."

"No, I wouldn't," she replied. "That's just where I draw the
line--because you'd be going through hell, too. You're a good man,
Rimrock--you've got a good heart--but you're a drunken, fighting brute."

"Hmm!" shrilled Rimrock, "say, that don't sound very nice after what
you said a minute ago."

"We're talking reason, now," said Mary, smiling wanly, "I was excited a
minute ago."

"Well,