II

Harford came home the next day, and for several weeks there was no
further occasion for gossip, although Kelley had his eyes on the major
so closely that he could neither come nor go without having his action
analyzed. He kept close record of Anita's coming and going also,
although it made him feel like a scoundrel whenever she glanced at him.
He was sure she was only the thoughtless child in all her indiscretions,
with a child's romantic admiration of a handsome uniform.

"I'll speak to her," he resolved. "I'll hand her out a word of warning
just to clear my conscience. She needs a big brother or an uncle--some
one to give her a jolt, and I'll do it!"

The opportunity came one day soon after Harford's return, but his
courage almost failed at the moment of meeting, so dainty, so small, so
charming, and so bird-like did the young wife seem.

She complimented him again on the condition of the mare and asked,
timidly, "How much does my husband pay you?"

"More than I'm worth," he replied, with gloomy self-depreciation.

She caught the note of bitterness in his voice and looked at him a
moment in surprised silence, her big eyes full of question. "What made
you say that?"

Kelley, repenting of his lack of restraint, smiled and said: "Oh, I felt
that way--for a minute. You see, I used to lead a high life of ease. I
was a nobleman--an Irish lord."

She smiled and uttered an incredulous word, but he went on:

"Yes, although my name is Kelley, I belong to a long line of kings. I'm
working as hostler just to square myself fer having killed a man. You
see, my queen was kind o' foolish and reckless and let a certain English
duke hang round her till I got locoed, and, being naturally quick on the
trigger, I slew him."

She was not stupid. She understood, and with quick, resentful glance she
took the reins from his hands and stepped into the carriage.

Kelley, silenced, and with a feeling that he had bungled his job, fell
back a pace, while she drove away without so much as a backward glance.

"I reckon she got it," he said, grimly, as he went back to his work. "I
didn't put it out just the way I had it in my head, but she 'peared to
sense enough of it to call me a Piute for butting in. If that don't work
on her I'll tack a warning on the major which nobody will misread fer a
joke."

As the hours of the afternoon went by he became more and more uneasy. "I
hope she'll turn up before dark, fer Harf is liable to g