fashion.

The excitement of the girl he loved showed itself in the dusky eyes
sparkling beneath the soft mass of blue-black hair, in the glow of
underlying blood that swept into her cheeks. She hoped--oh, how she
hoped!--that the officer would stand by his cousin. In her heart she
knew that if he did not--no matter how right his choice might be in
principle--she never would like him so well again. He was a man who
carried in his face and in his bearing the note of fineness, of personal
distinction, but if he were to prove a formalist at heart, if he were
going to stickle for an assurance of his kinsman's innocence before he
came to the prisoner's aid, Moya would have no further use for him.

When the sheriff presently came out Captain Kilmeny asked him if he
might have a word with the prisoner.

"Sure. Anything you want to say to him."

The English officer drew his cousin aside and with some embarrassment
tendered to his cousin the use of his purse in the event it might be
needed for the defense.

Jack looked at him steadily with hard unflinching eyes. "Why are you
offering this, captain?"

"I don't quite take you."

"I mean, what's your reason? Don't like it to get out that you have a
cousin in the pen, is that it? Anxious to avoid a family scandal?" he
asked, almost with a sneer.

The captain flushed, but before he could answer India flamed out. "You
might have the decency to be ashamed of that, Jack Kilmeny."

Her cousin looked at the girl gravely, then back at her lean,
clean-faced brother. "I am. Beg your pardon, captain. As for your offer,
I would accept it if there were any need. But there isn't. The charges
against me will fall flat."

"Deuced glad to hear it. Miss Dwight has just been telling us it would
be all right."

India looked straight at Jack out of the steel-blue eyes that were so
like his own. "I wasn't so sure of it myself, but Moya was. Nothing
could shake her. She's a good friend."

"I had it sized up about that way," the miner replied. "But I've a
notion Miss Kilmeny will stand the acid too. Anyhow, I'm much obliged to
her."

The prisoner shook hands with both of his cousins, lifted a
broad-brimmed gray felt hat from the rack, and delivered himself to the
sheriff.

"All right, Gill."

India gave a little exclamation and moved toward the hatrack. Her hand
fell upon a second hat, similar in appearance to the first, but much
more worn and dust-stained. She opened her lips to spea