expression of his eyes and looked away,
but she knew that his eyes followed her. The sun had set. The deserted
street lay in the white half-light of a mountain evening, and the
day's radiance was dying in the sky. In lower tones he spoke again,
and she turned deadly white.

"I've wanted so long to say this, Dicksie, that I might as well be
dead as to try to keep it back any longer. That's why I want to ride
home with you if you are going to let me." He turned to stroke her
horse's head. Dicksie stood seemingly helpless. McCloud slipped his
finger into his waistcoat pocket and held something out in his hand.
"This shell pin fell from your hair that night you were at camp by the
bridge--do you remember? I couldn't bear to give it back."

Dicksie's eyes opened wide. "Let me see it. I don't think that is
mine."

"Great Heaven! Have I been carrying Marion Sinclair's pin for a
month?" exclaimed McCloud. "Well, I won't lose any time in returning
it to her, at any rate."

"Where are you going?" Dicksie's voice was faint.

"I'm going to give Marion her pin."

"Do nothing of the sort! Come here! Give it to me."

"Dicksie, dare you tell me, after a shock like that, it really _is_
your pin?"

"Oh, I don't know whose pin it is!"

"Why, what is the matter?"

"Give me the pin!" She put her hands unsteadily up under her hat.
"Here, for Heaven's sake, if you must have something, take this comb!"
She slipped from her head the shell that held her knotted hair. He
caught her hand and kissed it, and she could not get it away.

"You are dear," murmured Dicksie, "if you are silly. The reason I
wouldn't let you ride home with me is because I was afraid you might
get shot. How do you suppose I should feel if you were killed? Or
don't you think I have any feeling?"

"But, Dicksie, is it all right?"

"How do I know? What do you mean? I will not let you ride home with
me, and you _will_ not let me ride home alone. Tie Jim again. I am
going to stay with Marion all night."

CHAPTER XXXIII

THE LAUGH OF A WOMAN

Within an hour, Marion, working over a hat in the trimming-room, was
startled to hear the cottage door open, and to see Dicksie quite
unconcernedly walk in. To Marion's exclamation of surprise she
returned only a laugh. "I have changed my mind, dear. I am going to
stay all night."

Marion kissed her approvingly. "Really, you are getting so sensible I
shan't know you, Dicksie. In fact, I believe this is the mos