the time. I used to figger that if I killed this man I'd kill that
memory, too, and those flitting, noiseless things would leave me, but
the thought of doing it made me afraid every time, so I ran away, which
never did no good--you can't outfoot a memory--and I knew all the while
that we'd meet sooner or later. Now that the day is here at last, I'm
not ready for it. I'd like to run away again if there was any place to
run to, but I've followed frontiers till I've seen them disappear one
by one; I've retreated till my back is against the Circle, and there
isn't any further land to go to. All the time I've prayed and planned
for this meeting, and yet--I'm undecided."

"Kill him!" said Alluna.

"God knows I've always hated trouble, whereas it's what he lives on.
I've always wanted to die in bed, while he's been a killer all his life
and the smoke hangs forever in his eyes. Only for an accident we might
have lived here all our days and never had a 'run-in,' which makes me
wonder if I hadn't better let things go on as they are."

"Kill him! It is the law," repeated Alluna, stubbornly, but he put her
aside with a slow shake of the head and arose as if very tired.

"No! I don't think I can do it--not in cold blood, anyhow. Good-night!
I'm going to sleep on it." He crossed to the door of his room, but as
he went she noted that he slipped the knife and scabbard inside the
bosom of his shirt.

CHAPTER IX

THE AWAKENING

Early the next morning Corporal Thomas came into the store and found
Necia tending it while Gale was out. Ever since the day she had
questioned him about Burrell, this old man had taken every occasion to
talk with the girl, and when he asked her this morning about the
reports concerning Lee's strike, she told him of her trip, and all that
had occurred.

"You see, I'm a mine-owner now," she concluded. "If it hadn't been a
secret I would have told you before I went so you could have been one
of the first."

"I'm goin', anyhow," he said, "if the Lieutenant will let me and if
it's not too late."

Then she told him of the trail by Black Bear Creek which would save him
several hours.

"So that's how you and he made it?" he observed, gazing at her
shrewdly. "I supposed you went with your father?"

"Oh, no! We beat him in," she said, and fell to musing at the memory of
those hours passed alone with Meade, while her eyes shone and her
cheeks glowed. The Corporal saw the look, and it bore out a the