he fellows fall in love with you. It's your good looks, Nell.
What a price women like you and Mercedes have to pay for beauty! I'd a
d---- a good deal rather be ugly as a mud fence."

"So would I, Dad, if--if Dick would still love me."

"He wouldn't, you can gamble on that, as Laddy says. ... Well, the
first time I catch this locoed Romeo sneaking round here I'll--I'll--"

"Dad, you promised."

"Confound it, Nell, I promised not to pack a gun. That's all. I'll
only shoo this fellow off the place, gently, mind you, gently. I'll
leave the rest for Dick Gale!"

"Oh, Dad!" cried Nell; and she clung to him wistful, frightened, yet
something more.

"Don't mistake me, Nell. You have your own way, generally. You pull
the wool over mother's eyes, and you wind me round your little finger.
But you can't do either with Dick Gale. You're tender-hearted; you
overlook the doings of this hound, Chase. But when Dick comes back, you
just make up your mind to a little hell in the Chase camp. Oh, he'll
find it out. And I sure want to be round when Dick hands Mr. Radford
the same as he handed Rojas!"

Belding kept a sharp lookout for young Chase, and then, a few days
later, learned that both son and father had gone off upon one of their
frequent trips to Casa Grandes, near where their mines were situated.

April grew apace, and soon gave way to May. One morning Belding was
called from some garden work by the whirring of an automobile and a
"Holloa!" He went forward to the front yard and there saw a car he
thought resembled one he had seen in Casita. It contained a
familiar-looking driver, but the three figures in gray coats and veils
were strange to him. By the time he had gotten to the road he decided
two were women and the other a man. At the moment their faces were
emerging from dusty veils. Belding saw an elderly, sallow-faced,
rather frail-appearing man who was an entire stranger to him; a
handsome dark-eyed woman whose hair showed white through her veil; and
a superbly built girl, whose face made Belding at once think of Dick
Gale.

"Is this Mr. Tom Belding, inspector of immigration?" inquired the
gentleman, courteously.

"I'm Belding, and I know who you are," replied Belding in hearty amaze,
as he stretched forth his big hand. "You're Dick Gale's Dad--the
Governor, Dick used to say. I'm sure glad to meet you."

"Thank you. Yes, I'm Dick's governor, and here, Mr. Belding--Dick's
mother and his sister Elsi