Sanchia said sharply:  ’You must have been unusually successful in your latest deal?’

‘It’s the next deal I’m thinking of,’ he told her lightly, letting her have the words to ponder on if she liked.  But he had scant time for Sanchia and his eyes came back to Helen.  ’I’ve got to ride into the new camp to see Roberts,’ he told her.  ’He’s seen my mules and is buying.  How would an early ride suit you?  And I’ll show you how easy it is to collect six hundred dollars before most folks have had breakfast!’

‘My, what a lot of money,’ laughed Helen.  ’Of course I’ll come.  You know where I keep Danny.  If you’ll saddle for me I’ll get ready and be out in two minutes.’

When they rode away down the trail together, Longstreet was smiling, and Sanchia frowning after them.

‘She even eats with you?’ queried Howard.

‘I just thank Heaven she hasn’t brought her bed in yet,’ answered Helen.  ’She is as transparent as a piece of glass, and yet dear old pops lets her pile the wool over his eyes as thick as she pleases.  I’m just giving her plenty of rope,’ she added philosophically.  ’Do that, and people always get tangled up first and then hang themselves next, don’t they?’

‘Give me plenty of rope!’ he said eagerly.  ’I’ll just tie myself up, hand and foot, and give you the end of the rope to hold.’

She laughed at him, touched Danny with her new spurs and shot ahead.

‘You’re nearly dying to tell me some good news,’ she said when he had come up with her again.  ‘Aren’t you?’

’I want to show you a letter I got when I came in last night.  But I’d just as soon think of handing it over to a whirlwind as to you at the rate you are going.’

They drew their horses down to a walk.  From his pocket Howard took an envelope; from the envelope brought forth a long blue slip of paper, torn in two, and with a few words penned across the fragments in a big running scrawl.  He held the two pieces together for her to read; by now the horses had stopped and, being old friends, were rubbing noses.  Helen read: 

’Dear old Al:  It took me a few days to see straight.  Instead of blocking your game, let me help whenever I can.  Don’t need this now; won’t have it.  Take your time, Al.  Good luck and so long.

JOHN.’

‘Turn it over!’ cried Howard.

Helen obeyed, only then fully understanding.  It was a cheque for twelve thousand five hundred dollars, signed by Alan Howard and payable to the order of John Carr.  Again she looked at the brief note; it was dated, and the date was eight days old.  Her face flushed suddenly; the colour deepened.

‘He wrote that the day after I sent my telegram to him!’ she cried breathlessly.

‘Telegram?’

‘Yes.’  She hesitated, then ran on swiftly:  ’When Mr. Carr left I let him think that maybe father and I would follow soon.  I don’t know that I had been exactly what you men call square with Mr. Carr.  I wanted to be square with everyone.  So I sent him a telegram, saying that we appreciated his generosity but that we would stay here.’