ter that you
should forget me. I hope we have not involved you in any trouble with
your neighbors or with the coroner."

"I am not worrying about that," he answered. "I am only concerned about
you. I would go to jail in a minute to save you any further worry."

"You are putting me so deeply in your debt that I can never repay you,"
she replied.

"A letter now and then will help," he suggested.

The train, panting, wheezing, hot with speed, came to a creeping halt,
and the conductor, swinging out upon the side track, greeted the ranger
pleasantly. "Hello, Hans! What are you doing here?"

Hanscom returned his greeting gravely. "Billy, here are some friends of
mine, just down from the hills. Take good care of them for me, will
you?"

"Sure thing, major," said the conductor. He helped Kauffman aboard, then
turned to Helen. "Now, lady," he said, holding out a hand, "I'm sorry
the step is so high, but--"

The ranger, stooping, took the girl in his arms and set her feet on the
lower step. "Good-by," he said, huskily. Then added: "For now. Write me
soon."

She turned and looked down upon him with a faint smile on her lips and a
tender light in her eyes. "I promise. Good-by," she said, and entered
the car.

The ranger stood for a long time gazing after the train, then languidly
walked away toward his team.

* * * * *

Hanscom turned his face toward the forest with a full knowledge that
his world had suddenly lost its charm. At one moment his thought went
anxiously forward with the fugitives, at another it returned to confront
the problem of his own desires. His act in thus assisting the main
witness to escape might displease the court and would undoubtedly
intensify the dislike which Kitsong had already expressed toward him.
"My stay in the district is not likely to be as quiet as it has been,"
he said to himself.

However, his own safety was not a question of grave concern. The mystery
of Watson's death yet remained, and until that was solved Helen was
still in danger of arrest. His mind at last settled to the task of
discovering and punishing the raiders. Who was Watson's assassin? What
fierce desire for revenge had prompted that savage assault?

There was no necessary connection between that small footprint and the
shooting, and yet, until it was proved to be the work of another,
suspicion would point to Helen as the only woman of the vicinity who had
the motive for the deed. T