slight sneer with which
he watched Whistling Dan dominated the entire picture.

"As a matter of fact," went on Morgan, "it would be a ten man job to
take the guns away from this crew. You can see for yourself."

She glanced about the throng and started. She had seen Dan.

"How did he come here?"

"Oh, Dan?" said Morgan, "he's all right. He just pulled one of the
prettiest shootin' stunts I ever seen."

"But he promised my father--" began Kate, and then stopped, flushing.

If her father was right in diagnosing Dan's character, this was the
most critical day in his life, for there he stood surrounded by armed
men. If there were anything wild in his nature it would be brought out
that day. She was almost glad the time of trial had come.

She said: "How about the guns, Mr. Morgan?"

"If you want them collected and put away for a while," offered Lee
Haines, "I'll do what I can to help you!"

Her smile of thanks set his blood tingling. His glance lingered a
little too long, a little too gladly, and she coloured slightly.

"Miss Cumberland," said Haines, "may I introduce myself? My name is
Lee."

She hesitated. The manners she had learned in the Eastern school
forbade it, but her Western instinct was truer and stronger. Her hand
went out to him.

"I'm very glad to know you, Mr. Lee."

"All right, stranger," said Morgan, who in the meantime had been
shifting from one foot to the other and estimating the large chances
of failure in this attempt to collect the guns, "if you're going to
help me corral the shootin' irons, let's start the roundup."

The girl went with them. They had no trouble in getting the weapons.
The cold blue eye of Lee Haines was a quick and effective persuasion.

When they reached Jim Silent he stared fixedly upon Haines. Then he
drew his guns slowly and presented them to his comrade, while his eyes
shifted to Kate and he said coldly: "Lady, I hope I ain't the last one
to congratulate you!"

She did not understand, but Haines scowled and coloured. Dan, in the
meantime, was swept into the saloon by an influx of the cowpunchers
that left only Lee Haines outside with Kate. She had detained him with
a gesture.

CHAPTER VI

LAUGHTER

"Mr. Lee," she said, "I am going to ask you to do me a favour. Will
you?"

His smile was a sufficient answer, and it was in her character that
she made no pretext of misunderstanding it.

"You have noticed Dan among the crowd?" she asked, "Whistlin