d to think that the man who did do it must have
been a gunfighter. I suppose you have never tried it?"

Over his lips while she had been speaking had crept the slight mocking
smile which always told better than words of the cold cynicism that
moved him at times. Did she know anything? Did she suspect him? The
smile masked an interest that illumined his eyes very slightly as he
looked at her.

"I expect that is plum slick shootin'," he returned slowly. "But some
men can do it. I've knowed them. But I ain't heard that it's been
done lately in this here country. I reckon Ben told you somethin' of
how this man looked?"

He had succeeded in putting the question very casually, and she had not
caught the note of deep interest in his voice.

"Why it's very odd," she said, looking him over carefully; "from Ben's
description I should assume that the man looked very like you!"

If her reply had startled him he gave little evidence of it. He sat
perfectly quiet, gazing with steady eyes out over the big basin. For a
time she sat silent also, her gaze following his. Then she turned.

"That would be odd, wouldn't it?" she said.

"What would?" he answered, not looking at her.

"Why, if you _were_ the man who had done that shooting! It would
follow out the idea of my plot perfectly. For in my story the hero is
hired to shoot a supposed rustler, and of course he would have to be a
good shot. And since Ben has told me the story of the shooting match I
have decided that the hero in my story shall be tested in that manner
before being employed to shoot the rustler. Then he comes to the
supposed rustler's cabin and meets the heroine, in much the same manner
that you came. Now if it should turn out that you were the man who did
the shooting in Dry Bottom my story up to this point would be very
nearly real. And that would be fine!"

She had allowed a little enthusiasm to creep into her voice, and he
looked up at her quickly, a queer expression in his eyes.

"You goin' to have your 'two-gun' man bit by a rattler?" he questioned.

"Well, I don't know about that. It would make very little difference.
But I should be delighted to find that you were the man who did the
shooting over at Dry Bottom. Say that you are!"

Even now he could not tell whether there was subtlety in her voice The
old doubt rose again in his mind. Was she really serious in saying
that she intended putting all this in her story, or was this a