got over a thousand dollars and--" Slim could not contain
his indignation at the deception practised by the boy.

"You derned thief," he shouted. Then he plainly showing his annoyance
at his lack of repression.

Bud's hand dropped to his gun. "You--" he began, but Polly stopped him
with a gesture, looking from one to the other of the men, dazed and
frightened.

"A thief. Bud a thief? What does it mean? Tell me," she gasped.
Turning to Bud, she demanded: "Bud, you heard what he said?"

Dropping his head, fearing to look at either of them, he muttered
sullenly: "He lied."

Slim checked his first betrayal of his anger and kept himself well in
hand.

"Oh, Slim," pleaded Polly, "say you didn't mean it."

Simply and sadly Slim answered: "I didn't. I reckon as how I'm some
jealous, an'--an'--I lied."

His voice dropped, and he turned aside, stepping away from the young
couple.

Polly was still in doubt. Slim's actions were so strange. It was not
like this big-hearted, brave Sheriff to accuse a man of stealing
without being sure of his charges. Then Slim's accusing himself of
lying was entirely at variance with his character. "I'm sorry," she
said. "Please forgive me. It was all my fault. I didn't know that
you--"

Slim held up his hand to silence her.

"Wouldn't you mind leavin' us together a bit," he requested. In answer
to Polly's frightened glance, he continued: "There hain't goin' to be
no trouble, only me an' him's got a little business to talk over.
Ain't we, Bud? Eh?"

Slim led Polly toward the corral, glancing at Bud over his shoulder
with a reassuring smile. "Just you step out yonder a bit and wait," he
said to Polly.

"Now, you won't--"

"Can't you trust me any more?" he asked sincerely.

Grasping him by the hand, she looked him fairly and fearlessly in the
eye, saying: "I do trust you. I trust you both."

As the girl strode out of ear-shot, Slim, absent-mindedly, kept shaking
the hand she had held. Awakening suddenly to the fact that his hand
was empty, he looked at it curiously, and sighed. Turning quickly, he
slapped his hat on his head, hitched up his chaps, and stepped up to
Bud, who stood with a sneer on his lips.

"So you're the man that Polly loves," he said. "She's a good girl, and
she loves a thief."

Bud turned on him fiercely, drawing his gun. "Take care!" he warned.

"You won't shoot. If you meant to shoot, you'd 'a' done it long ago,
when you pulled your g