to stay," she said with assurance.

"Wait a bit!" said Burke Ranger.

His manner rather than his words checked her. She felt again that
cold dread pressing against her heart. She turned from the subject
as one seeking escape.

She ate a good breakfast almost in spite of herself. Ranger
insisted upon it, and since he was evidently hungry himself it
seemed churlish not to keep him company. He told her a little
about the country, while they ate, but he strenuously avoided all
things personal, and she felt compelled to follow his lead. He
imposed a certain restraint upon her, and even when he rose from
the table at length with the air of a man about to face the
inevitable, she did not feel it to be wholly removed.

She got up also and watched him fill his pipe with something of her
former embarrassment. She expected him to light it when he had
finished, but he did not. He put it in his pocket, and somewhat
abruptedly turned to her.

"Now!" he said.

She met his look with a brave face. She even smiled--a gallant,
little smile to which he made no response. "Well, now," she said,
"I want you to tell me the quickest way to get to Guy."

He faced her squarely. "I've got to tell you something about him
first," he said.

"Yes?" Her heart was beating very quickly, but she had herself well
in hand. "What is it?"

But he stood mutely considering her. It was as if the power of
speech had suddenly gone from him.

"What is it?" she said again. "Won't you tell me?"

He made a curious gesture. It was almost a movement of flinching.
"You're so young," he said.

"Oh, but I'm not--I'm not!" she assured him. "It's only my face.
I'm quite old really. I've been through a lot."

"You've never seen life yet," he said.

"I have!" she declared with an odd vehemence. "I've learnt lots of
things. Why--do you look like that? I'm not a child."

Her voice quivered a little in spite of her. Why did he look like
that? The compassion in his eyes smote her with a strange pain.
Why--why was he sorry for her?

He saw her rising agitation, and spoke, slowly, choosing his words.
"The fact is, Guy isn't what you take him for--isn't the right man
for you. Nothing on this earth can make him so now, whatever he
may have been once. He's taken the wrong turning, and there's no
getting back."

She gazed at him with wide eyes. Her lips felt stiff and cold.
"What--what--do you mean, please?" she said.

She saw his hands