Always a creature of impulse, Arlie had repented her repentance when too late.  Now she would have fought to save the Texan, but the horror of it was that she could not guess how the blow would fall.  She tried to believe he was safe, at least until the week was up.

When Dick strolled across the floor, sat down beside Steve, and began casually to chat with him, she could have thanked the boy with tears.  It was equivalent to a public declaration of his intentions.  At least, the ranger was not friendless.  One of the raiders was going to stand by him.  Besides Dick, he might count on Howard; perhaps on others.

Jed was in high good humor.  All along the line he seemed to be winning.  Arlie had discarded this intruder from Texas and was showing herself very friendly to the cattleman.  The suspicion of Fraser which he had disseminated was bearing fruit; and so, more potently, was the word the girl had dropped incautiously.  He had only to wait in order to see his rival wiped out.  So that, when Arlie put in her little plea, he felt it would not cost him anything to affect a large generosity.

“Let him go, Jed.  He is discredited.  Folks are all on their guard before him now.  He can’t do any harm here.  Dick says he is only waiting out his week because of your threat.  Don’t make trouble.  Let him sneak back home, like a whipped cur,” she begged.

“I don’t want any trouble with him, girl.  All I ask is that he leave the valley.  Let Dick arrange that, and I’ll give him a chance.”

She thanked him, with a look that said more than words.

It was two hours later, when she was waltzing with Jed again, that Arlie caught sight of a face that disturbed her greatly.  It was a countenance disfigured by a ragged scar, running from the bridge of the nose.  She had last seen it gazing into the window of Alec Howard’s cabin on a certain never-to-be-forgotten night.

“Who is that man—­ the one leaning against the door jamb, just behind Slim Leroy?” she asked.

“He’s a fellow that calls himself Johnson.  His real name is Struve,” Jed answered carelessly.

“He’s the man that shot the Texas lieutenant,” she said.

“I dare say.  He’s got a good reason for shooting him.  The man broke out of the Arizona penitentiary, and Fraser came north to rearrest him.  At least, that’s my guess.  He wouldn’t have been here to-night if he hadn’t figured Fraser too sick to come.  Watch him duck when he learns the ranger’s here.”

At the first opportunity Arlie signaled to Dick that she wanted to see him.  Fraser, she observed, was no longer in the dancing rooms.  Dick took her out from the hot room to the porch.

“Let’s walk a little, Dick.  I want to tell you something.”

They sauntered toward the fine grove of pines that ran up the hillside back of the house.

“Did you notice that man with the scar, Dick?” she presently asked.