saying? They say that the reason
is because we have some sort of an understanding with you. They
say----" She stopped abruptly.

"What else do they say?"

"Other things. I've told you enough."

"What do you care?"

"Well, I do care. This is the only house you come to. Your visits must
end now."

"End?" Farwell echoed. "I guess not. Not unless you absolutely forbid
me to come. And then I don't know. I'd find it pretty hard."

"Nonsense!"

"I tell you I would," he protested. "You don't know."

"Bosh! We're not so fascinating as that."

Now Farwell was of the battle-axe type. He was accustomed to take what
he wanted, to smash through opposition. He looked at the girl facing
him in the fading light, and a great desire swelled within him. Her
words gave the needed spur to his courage, and he went to the point as
he would have gone in to quell a riot in a camp.

"'We,'" he said. "Who's talking of 'we'? I'm not. I come to see _you_.
You ought to know that. Of course you know it. I didn't think I'd ever
fall in love, but I _have_. You might as well know it now. I don't know
whether you think anything of me or not; it would be just my luck if
you didn't. Anyway, that's how I feel, and I'm not going to give up
seeing you just because some people have set a crazy yarn going."

The words boiled out of him like steam from a hot spring. He scowled at
her ferociously, his eyes hot and angry. It would have been difficult
to imagine a more unloverlike attitude. And yet she had no doubt of his
sincerity. She would have been less than woman if she had not suspected
his feelings before. But she had not expected this outbreak.

"I'm sorry you said that," she told him quietly. "It's quite
impossible. I can tell you now what I couldn't tell you before. People
say that I have promised to marry you in exchange for your promise that
we shall have water for the ranch."

"If you'll tell me the name of a man who utters an infernal lie like
that I'll wring his neck," he growled.

"I believe you would. But what good would it do? You can't fight
rumours and gossip in that way. That's the trouble with you--you depend
on force alone. Can't you see the position this puts us in--puts _me_
in? You can't come here any more."

"I don't see that at all," he objected. "I'll blow up your dam myself
if you think it will help, but as for not seeing you--why, it's out of
the question. I've got to see you. I'm going to see you. I can't help
it.