Beth’s relief was inexpressible.  She was safe, with everything behind her!  No one knew, or would ever need to know, the secret in possession of herself and Van.

“If anyone comes that you can send, will you kindly have my horse taken over to the stable?” she said.  “I must go upstairs and rest.”

“Here’s Billy Stitts a-comin’ now,” replied the housewife, moving towards the door.  “He’s been worried to death about you bein’ gone!”

Beth ran at once for the stairs, and later, from the window, saw the faithful old Billy leading her pony away.  She closed her door, darkened the light, and soon clambered wearily into bed, where she dropped off to sleep like a child, lost to the world through the dinner hour and till something like three in the morning.  She awaked then for a moment, long enough to think of Van, then sighed in absolute comfort and turned to sleep again.

It was nine o’clock in the morning when at last she appeared on the scene.

“Land snakes!” said Mrs. Dick, who had heard her coming down.  “Ain’t you the sleeper!  Well, I’ve kept your breakfast, but I couldn’t keep last night’s supper.  Your friend, Mr. Bostwick, was here about eight, but I told him he’d have to wait if it took you a week to come to.”

“You didn’t tell him I’d been away, I hope,” said Beth, suddenly alarmed at the thought of Searle’s presence in the town.  “I’d rather no one knew but you.”

“Lord!  I wouldn’t tell him if a rat was dead in his pocket!” Mrs. Dick expostulated.  “I can’t abide the man, and you might as well know it, even if it does hurt your feelings.”

Beth sat down to her breakfast.  “You’re as good as you can be.”

“Well, the breakfast ain’t—­’taint fresh,” said Mrs. Dick.  “But I’ll see you git a decent lunch.”

She bustled off into the kitchen.  Beth had barely finished eating when Bostwick again appeared.

The man was tanned from his trip in the desert.  He seemed alert, excited, keen over prospects rapidly coming to a head.

“Well, well, Beth,” he said as he came inside the dining-room, “I’m back, you see, but I’ve certainly had a time of it!  The car broke down, and Glen had left Starlight when at last I arrived, and I hunted for him all through the mountains and only found him four days ago, and we’ve been going ever since.  I couldn’t write, but I did feel cut up, I assure you, about leaving you here alone for so long a time.”

He advanced as if to kiss her, but Beth avoided his caress.  She was calm and possessed.  She meant to ascertain just how far the man was trying to deceive her.

“Won’t you sit down, and tell me all about it,” she said.  “You saw Glen four days ago?” She resumed her place in her chair.

“Three or four days ago—­I’m mixed in my dates,” he said, as he also took a seat.  “He’s looking fine, and sent his love, of course.”

That the man was lying, in every particular, she began to feel convinced.