spite of their talk. I was afraid of you myself
until----"

"Until we made verse together."

"Until you made verse and I spoiled it. But I think it is because I
don't understand things that I am so afraid. I am not naturally a
coward. I'm sure I could not be afraid of you if I understood things
better. And there is Marion. She puzzles me. She will never speak of
her husband--I don't know why. And I don't know why Mr. McCloud is so
hard on Mr. Sinclair--Mr. Sinclair seems so kind and good-natured."

Whispering Smith looked from the fire into Dicksie's eyes. "What
should you say if I gave you a confidence?"

She opened her heart to his searching gaze. "Would you trust me with a
confidence?"

He answered without hesitation. "You shall see. Now, I have many
things I can't talk about, you understand. But if I had to give you a
secret this instant that carried my life, I shouldn't fear to do
it--so much for trusting you. Only this, too, as to what I say: don't
ever quote me or let it appear that you any more than know me. Can you
manage that? Really? Very good; you will understand why in a minute.
The man that is stirring up all this trouble with your Cousin Lance
and in this whole country is your kind and good-natured neighbor, Mr.
Sinclair. I am prejudiced against him; let us admit that on the start,
and remember it in estimating what I say. But Sinclair is the man who
has turned your cousin's head, as well as made things in other ways
unpleasant for several of us. Sinclair--I tell you so you will
understand everything, more than your cousin, Mr. McCloud, or Marion
Sinclair understand--Sinclair is a train-wrecker and a murderer. That
makes you breathe hard, doesn't it? but it is so. Sinclair is fairly
educated and highly intelligent, capable in every way, daring to the
limit, and, in a way, fascinating; it is no wonder he has a following.
But his following is divided into two classes: the men that know all
the secrets, and the men that don't--men like Rebstock and Du Sang,
and men like your cousin and a hundred or so sports in Medicine Bend,
who see only the glamour of Sinclair's pace. Your cousin sympathizes
with Sinclair when he doesn't actually side with him. All this has
helped to turn Sinclair's head, and this is exactly the situation you
and McCloud and I and a lot of others are up against. They don't know
all this, but I know it, and now you know it. Let me tell you
something that comes close to home. You have