r 'em at the window!"

He slipped onto a box on the opposite side of the table and leaned
towards her, supporting his chin in his hands. Kate began to eat
hurriedly.

"No! no!" advised Buck. "You eat as if you was scared. You want to be
slow an' deliberate. Watch out! They've moved the board that covers
the window!"

For he saw a group of astonished faces outside.

"Smile at me!"

Her response made even Buck forget her pallor. Outside the house there
was a faint buzz of whispers.

"Keep it up!"

"I'll do my best," she said faintly.

Buck leaned back and burst into uproarious laughter.

"That's a good one!" he cried, slamming the broad palm of his hand
against the table so that the tin dishes jumped. "I never heard the
beat of it!" And in a whispered tone aside: "_Laugh, damn it!_"

Her laughter rang true enough, but it quavered perilously close to a
sob towards the close.

"I always granted Jim Silent a lot of sense," he said, "an' has he
really left you alone all this time? Damn near died of homesickness,
didn't you?"

She laughed again, more confidently this time. The board was suddenly
replaced at the window.

"Now I got to go out to them," he said. "After what Silent has seen
he'll trust me with you. He'll let me come back."

She dropped her soft hands over his clenched fist.

"It will be soon? Minutes are greater than hours."

"I ain't forgot. Tonight's the time."

Before he reached the door she ran to him. Two arms went round his
neck, two warm lips fluttered against his.

"God bless you!" she whispered.

Buck ran for the door. Outside he stood bareheaded, breathing deeply.
His face was hot with shame and delight, and he had to walk up and
down for a moment before he could trust himself to enter the ranch
house. When he finally did so he received a greeting which made him
think himself a curiosity rather than a man. Even Jim Silent regarded
him with awe.

"Buck," said Jordan, "you don't never need to work no more. All you
got to do is to walk into a town, pick out the swellest heiress, an'
marry her."

"The trouble with girls in town," said Buck, "is that there ain't no
room for a man to operate. You jest nacherally can't ride a hoss into
a parlour."

Lee Haines drew Buck a little to one side.

"What message did you bring to her, Buck?" he said.

"What d'you mean?"

"Look here, friend, these other boys are too thick-headed to
understand Kate Cumberland, but I know her kind."