Her voice failed.  She was swaying toward Steele.  I expected to see his arms spread wide and enfold her in their embrace.

“Diane Sampson, I love you!” whispered Steele hoarsely, white now to his lips.  “I must be true to my duty.  But if I can’t be true to you, then by God, I want no more of life!” He kissed her hand and rushed away.

She stood a moment as if blindly watching the place where he had vanished, and then as a sister might have turned to a brother, she reached for me.

Chapter 8

THE EAVESDROPPER

We silently rode home in the gathering dusk.  Miss Sampson dismounted at the porch, but Sally went on with me to the corrals.  I felt heavy and somber, as if a catastrophe was near at hand.

“Help me down,” said Sally.  Her voice was low and tremulous.

“Sally, did you hear what Miss Sampson said to Steele?” I asked.

“A little, here and there.  I heard Steele tell her he loved her.  Isn’t this a terrible mix?”

“It sure is.  Did you hear—­do you understand why she appealed to Steele, asked him to be her friend?”

“Did she?  No, I didn’t hear that.  I heard her say she had wronged him.  Then I tried not to hear any more.  Tell me.”

“No Sally; it’s not my secret.  I wish I could do something—­help them somehow.  Yes, it’s sure a terrible mix.  I don’t care so much about myself.”

“Nor me,” Sally retorted.

“You!  Oh, you’re only a shallow spoiled child!  You’d cease to love anything the moment you won it.  And I—­well, I’m no good, you say.  But their love!  My God, what a tragedy!  You’ve no idea, Sally.  They’ve hardly spoken to each other, yet are ready to be overwhelmed.”

Sally sat so still and silent that I thought I had angered or offended her.  But I did not care much, one way or another.  Her coquettish fancy for me and my own trouble had sunk into insignificance.  I did not look up at her, though she was so close I could feel her little, restless foot touching me.  The horses in the corrals were trooping up to the bars.  Dusk had about given place to night, although in the west a broad flare of golden sky showed bright behind dark mountains.

“So I say you’re no good?” asked Sally after a long silence.  Then her voice and the way her hand stole to my shoulder should have been warning for me.  But it was not, or I did not care.

“Yes, you said that, didn’t you?” I replied absently.

“I can change my mind, can’t I?  Maybe you’re only wild and reckless when you drink.  Mrs. Hoden said such nice things about you.  They made me feel so good.”

I had no reply for that and still did not look up at her.  I heard her swing herself around in the saddle.  “Lift me down,” she said.