lare, adobe houses,
loneliness, and dust. My chief trouble, however, was that I had too much
time to think."

"But you must have seen somebody and had something to do."

"Yes," Cheyne admitted. "There was a mining fellow who used to come over
and clean out my whiskey, and sing gruesome songs for hours together to a
banjo that had, I think, two strings. I stayed out all night quite
frequently when I had reason to believe that he was coming. Then, we
killed a good many tarantulas--and a few equally venomous pests--but when
all was done it left one hours to sit staring at the sage-brush and wonder
whether one would ever shake off the dreariness of it again."

"It must have been horribly lonely," Hetty said.

"Well," said Cheyne, very slowly, "there was just one faint hope that now
and then brightened everything for me. I thought you might change. Perhaps
I was foolish--but that hope would have meant so much to me. I could not
let it go."

Hetty turned and looked at him with a softness in her eyes, for the little
tremor in his voice had touched her.

"And I was hoping you had forgotten," she said.

"No," said Cheyne quietly. "I don't think I ever shall. You haven't a
grain of comfort to offer me?"

Hetty shook her head, and involuntarily one hand went up and rested a
moment on something that lay beneath the laces at her neck. "No," she
said. "I am ever so sorry, Jake, but I have nothing whatever to offer
you--now."

"Then," said Cheyne, with a little gesture of resignation, "I suppose it
can be borne because it must be--and I think I understand. I know he must
be a good man--or you would never have cared for him."

Hetty looked at him steadily, but the colour that had crept into her cheek
spread to her forehead. "Jake," she said, "no doubt there are more, but I
have met two Americans who are, I think, without reproach. I shall always
be glad I knew them--and it is not your fault that you are not the right
one."

Cheyne made her a little grave inclination. "Then, I hope we shall be good
friends when I meet the other one. I am going to stay some little time in
the cattle country."

"I almost hope you will not meet just yet," Hetty said anxiously, "and you
must never mention what I have told you to anybody."

"You have only told me that I was one of two good Americans," said Cheyne,
with a quiet smile which the girl found reassuring. "Now, you don't want
to send me away?"

"No," said Hetty. "It is so long sin