at the letter in her lap. Then she abruptly raised her
eyes, and went on quickly. "Say, Kate, I s'pose we'll never see Nick
or Pete again? Shall we always have to do the work of our little patch
ourselves?" Then she smiled and something of her old lightness peeped
out of her pretty eyes. "Look at me," she cried. "I--I haven't put on
one of my nice suits since--since that day. I'm--a tramp."

Kate's returning smile was of the most shadowy description. She shook
her head.

"Maybe we'll get some hired men soon," she said, quietly. Then she
sighed. "I don't know. I hope so. I guess we'll never see Nick again.
He got away--I believe--across the border. As for Pete," she
shuddered, "he was found by the police--shot dead."

Helen sat up.

"You never told me," she cried.

Kate shook her head.

"I didn't want to distress you--any more." Just for one moment she
averted her eyes. Then they came back to Helen's face in an inquiry.
"When--when is--Bill coming back?"

"Bill?" Helen's eyes lighted up, and a warm smile shone in them as she
glanced down at her letter again. "He says he'll be through with
Charlie's affairs soon. He's in Amberley. He's had to see to things
through the police. He's coming right on here the moment he's through.
He's--he's going to wire me when he starts. Kate?"

"Yes, dear."

Kate turned from the cook stove at the abruptness of her sister's
tone. Helen began to speak rapidly, and as she talked she kept her
gaze fixed upon the window.

"It's--it's a long while now, since--that day. We were both feeling
mighty bad 'bout things then. We," she smiled whimsically, "sort of
didn't know whether it was Rocky Springs, or Broadway, did we? And
there was such a lot I didn't know or understand. And I never asked a
question. Did I?"

Kate winced visibly. The moment she had always dreaded had come. She
had realized that it must eventually come, and for days she had
wondered vaguely how she would be able to meet it. The smile which
strove to reach her eyes was a failure, and, for a moment, a hunted
look threatened. In the end, however, she forced herself to perfect
calmness.

"I don't think I could have answered them then if you had," she said
gently. "I don't know that I can answer many now--for both our sakes."

Helen thought for some moments. Then she appeared to have arrived at a
determination.

"How did you--come home that day--and why? I didn't expect you until
the next day."

Kate drew a deep