He looked at Dale with cold, unwavering eyes until the latter,
sneering, turned and ordered his men to remove the rope from Nyland.
With his hands resting idly on his hips he watched Dale and the men
ride away. Then he shook hands mechanically with Nyland, permitted
Peggy to kiss him--which she did fervently, and led her brother away.
Then Sanderson turned, to see Mary smiling and blushing, not more than
two or three feet distant.

He stood still, and she stepped slowly toward him, the blush on her
face deepening.

"Oh," she said as she came dose to him and placed her hands on his
shoulders, "this seems positively brazen--for you seem like a stranger
to me."

Then she deliberately took both his cheeks in her hands, stood on the
tips of her toes and kissed him three or four times, squarely on the
lips.

"Why, ma'am--" began Sanderson.

"Mary!" she corrected, shaking him.

"Well, ma'am--Mary, that is--you see I ain't just----"

"You're the dearest and best brother that ever lived," she declared,
placing a hand over his mouth, "even though you did stay away for so
many years. Not another word now!" she warned as she took him by an
arm and led him toward the ranchhouse; "not a word about anything until
you've eaten and rested. Why, you look tired to death--almost!"