The gaze of the cowpuncher followed her as she went down the street light and graceful as a fawn.  Not since spring had he seen her, though in the night watches he had often heard the sound of her gay voice, seen the flash of her bright eyes, and recalled the sweet and gallant buoyancy that was the dear note of her comradeship.

Billie looked after his horse and walked with Jim to the Proctor House.  His mind was already busy appraising the changes in his friend.  Clanton was now a “two-gun” man.  From each hip hung a heavy revolver, the lower ends of the holsters tied down in order not to interfere with lightning rapidity of action.  The young man showed no signs of nervousness, but his chill eyes watched without ceasing the street, doors and windows of buildings, the faces of passers-by and corner loafers.  What Prince had foreseen was coming to pass.  He was paying the penalty of his reputation as a bad man.  Already incessant wariness was the price of life for him.

A second surprise awaited Billie at the Roubideau house.  Polly was in the kitchen and looked out of the door only to wave a big spoon at them as they approached.  Another young woman welcomed them.  At sight of Billie a deep flush burned under her dark skin.  It was, perhaps, because of this sign of emotion that her greeting was very cavalier.

“You’re back, I see!”

Prince ignored the hint of hostility in her manner.  His big hand gripped her little one firmly.

“Yes, I’m back, Miss Lee, and right glad to see you lookin’ so well.  I’ll never forget the last time we met.”

Neither would she, but she did not care to tell him so.  The memory of the adventure by the river-bank recurred persistently.  This lean, sunbaked cowpuncher with the kind eyes and quiet efficiency of bearing had impressed himself upon her as no other man had.  There was a touch of scorn in her feeling for herself, because she knew she wanted him for her mate more than anything else on earth.  In the night, alone in the friendly darkness, her hot face pressed into the cool pillows, she confessed to herself that she loved him and longed for the sight of his strong, good-looking face with its smile of whimsical humor.  But that was when she was safe from the eyes of the world.  Now, to punish herself and to prevent him from suspecting the truth, she devoted her attention mainly to Clanton.

Jim was openly her admirer.  He wanted Lee to know it and did not care who else observed his devotion.  Pauline for one guessed the boy’s state of mind and smiled at it, but Billie wondered whether the smile hid an aching heart.  He knew that little Polly had a very tender feeling for the boy who had saved her life.  More than once during supper it seemed to him that her soft eyes yearned for the reckless young fellow talking so gayly to Miss Snaith.  The conviction grew in Prince—­it found lodgment in his mind with a pang of despair—­that the girl he cared for had given her love to his friend.  He fought against the thought, tried resolutely to push it from him, but again and again it returned.