"He's fallen in love with you," I hurried on in a husky voice. "Love at
first sight! Terrible! Hopeless! I saw it--felt it. I can't explain how
I know, but I do know.

"That's what stayed his hand here. And that's why I'm on his side. He's
alone. He has a terrible task here without any handicaps. Every man is
against him. If he fails, you might be the force that weakened him. So
you ought to be kinder in your thought of him. Wait before you judge him
further.

"If he isn't killed, time will prove him noble instead of vile. If he is
killed, which is more than likely, you'll feel the happier for a
generous doubt in favor of the man who loved you."

Like one stricken blind, she stood an instant; then, with her hands at
her breast, she walked straight across the patio into the dark, open
door of her room.




Chapter 5

CLEANING OUT LINROCK


Not much sleep visited me that night. In the morning, the young ladies
not stirring and no prospects of duty for me, I rode down to town.

Sight of the wide street, lined by its hitching posts and saddled