“Nevada,” he asked, in grave finality, “did you talk with Ina alone?”

“Shore I did, a little.”

“About me?”

“Why, of course! You don’t suppose the girl would want to heah aboot me? An’ you don’t suppose I’d lose any chance to boost you?”

“But you and Hettie, and Marvie, too, make her think I’m a million times better than I am,” groaned Ben.

“Say, how’n’ell could we do that?” flashed Nevada, showing, as often, how easy it was to strike fire from him.

“I’ll bet you–all are driving Ina crazy about me—same as you’re driving me crazy about her.”

“Nix. You, anyhow, was crazy before. Ben, what you an’ Ina need to do is to get off some lonesome place in the moonlight——”

“Hold your tongue,” shouted Ben, frantically. “Can’t you understand it wouldn’t be square or honorable for me to disgrace Ina? I’m an outcast. And they’re liable to make me an outlaw yet.”

“Shore. Same as your pard, huh?” exclaimed Nevada, bitterly.

“Oh, say, my friend! Don’t misconstrue my words. That talk about you never influenced me. I don’t care a damn what you were, Nevada. It’s what you are to me—and that’s the finest and noblest of pards.”

“Thanks,” replied Nevada, lifting his head. “Shore I take it I am your pard, though I shy on the noble stuff. An’ that’s why I gotta talk. I was sayin’ you an’ Ina need to get off in the moonshine somewhere, an’ run into each other’s arms, an’ stick there for some hours more or less—anyhow till you discover you cain’t live without each other.”

Chapter Eleven

THE second night after Nevada’s return, Ben, sitting up late watching the moon, yielding to dreams hopeless of fulfilment, heard a faint distant clip–clop of trotting horses on the hard trail down by the lake.

Riders were approaching from the direction of the Blaine ranch. As the hour was not one to expect visitors or travelers, Ben rather anxiously picked up his rifle and hurried out through the trees to the edge of the bluff. The night was almost as light as day. A full moon soared high in the rich dark sky; the vast basin appeared boundless, with glistening white bands of sand surrounding the silver lake.

Two horsemen were approaching. They did not, however, keep to the trail that turned the corner of the bluff and climbed the west side to Ben’s cabin. Ben decided that he would intercept them, and gliding down the slope he soon reached the zone of huge rocks that had rolled from above. He stole cautiously along, keeping in the shadows, wonderingly curious. Who were these riders? Why did they leave the trail, apparently to approach his cabin from the rear? The sound of hoofbeats gave place to footsteps, light and pattering on the gravelly ground. Presently Ben saw a slight dark form come from out of shadow into the moonlight. A boy! It was no other than Marvie Blaine.