id McCrae; "sure, I understand."

They were at the camp. Farwell jumped out inviting McCrae to put his
team up and come to his quarters. McCrae refused. It was late; he must
be getting back.

"Just as you say," said Farwell. "I'm coming over to your ranch now and
then, if you don't mind."

"Come along," said McCrae. "Latchstring's always out. You, Jeff; you,
Dinny! G'lang, boys!"

The buckboard leaped to the sudden plunge of the little road team.
Farwell stood for a moment listening to the diminishing drum roll of
hoofs, whir of spokes, and clank of axles in their boxes.

"The blamed fool!" he thought. "Well, I gave him his chance. But it's
going to be hard on his folks." He shook his head. "Yes, it will be
pretty hard on his wife and the girl--what do they call her? Sheila.
Nice name that--odd! Sheila!" He repeated the name aloud.

"Hello, did you speak to me?" said the voice of his assistant, Keeler,
in the darkness.

"No!" snapped Farwell, with unnecessary curtness; "I didn't."

CHAPTER VIII

At the end of a week Farwell told Keeler that he was going to ride over
to Talapus. He added unnecessarily that he wanted to see how his horse
was getting on. Whereat his assistant, who had very good ears, grinned
internally, though outwardly he kept a decorous face. He did not expect
his chief back till late.

But Farwell returned early, and spent a busy half hour in blowing up
everybody from Keeler down. On this occasion he had not seen Sheila at
all. She and Casey Dunne, so Mrs. McCrae informed him, were at the
latter's ranch. Mr. Dunne, it appeared, was buying some house
furnishings, and wanted Sheila's advice. Farwell took an abrupt
departure, declining a hospitable invitation. He barely looked at the
lame horse.

For another week he sulked in a poisonous temper. He was done with
Talapus. He thought that McCrae girl had some sense, but if she was
going traipsing all over the country with Dunne, why, that let him out.
Maybe she was going to marry Dunne. It looked like it. Anyway, it was
none of his business. But the end of it was that he went to Talapus
again.

This time he found Sheila alone. The elder McCraes were gone to
Coldstream in the buckboard. Young Alec was somewhere on the ditch.
Sheila, flanked by clothesbasket and workbasket, sat on the veranda
mending his shirts. The occupation was thoroughly unromantic, little
calculated to appeal to the imagination. Nevertheless, it appealed to
Farwel