law. He waited for his legal trial, but when it came and false witness
placed him behind the bars, the revolt came. Two days after his
confinement, he broke away from his prison and went to the wilds.
There he found Jim Silent, and the mountain-desert found another to
add to its list of great outlaws.

Morning came as he drew close to the house, and now his reminiscences
were cut short, for at a turn of the road he came upon Kate galloping
swiftly over the hills. He drew his horse to a halt and raised his
hand. She followed suit. They sat staring. If she had remembered his
broken promise and started to reproach, he could have found answer,
but her eyes were big with sorrow alone. He put out his hand without a
word. She hesitated over it, her eyes questioning him mutely, and then
with the ghost of a smile she touched his fingers.

"I want to explain," he said huskily.

"What?"

"You remember I gave you my word that no harm would come to Barry?"

"No man could have helped him."

"You don't hold it against me?"

A gust of wind moaned around them. She waved her arm towards the
surrounding hills and her laugh blended with the sound of the wind,
it was so faint. He watched her with a curious pang. She seemed among
women what that morning was to the coming day--fresh, cool, aloof. It
was hard to speak the words which would banish the sorrow from her
eyes and make them brilliant with hope and shut him away from her
thoughts with a barrier higher than mountains, and broader than seas.

"I have brought you news," he said at last, reluctantly.

She did not change.

"About Dan Barry."

Ay, she changed swiftly enough at that! He could not meet the fear and
question of her glance. He looked away and saw the red rim of the sun
pushing up above the hills. And colour poured up the throat of Kate
Cumberland, up even to her forehead beneath the blowing golden hair.

Haines jerked his sombrero lower on his head. A curse tumbled up to
his lips and he had to set his teeth to keep it back.

"But I have heard his whistle."

Her lips moved but made no sound.

"Five other men heard him."

She cried out as if he had hurt her, but the hurt was happiness. He
knew it and winced, for she was wonderfully beautiful.

"In the willows of the river bottom, a good twenty miles south," he
said at last, "and I will show you the way, if you wish."

He watched her eyes grow large with doubt.

"Can you trust me?" he asked. "I failed you