“Well, I’ll tell you, Mr. Gale, we’ve had some quakes here, but none of them could hold a candle to this jar we just had.”

Then Belding explained what had caused the explosion, and why it had been set off so close to his property.

“It’s an outrage, sir, an unspeakable outrage,” declared Mr. Gale, hotly.  “Such a thing would not be tolerated in the East.  Mr. Belding, I’m amazed at your attitude in the face of all this trickery.”

“You see—­there was mother and Nell,” began Belding, as if apologizing.  He dropped his head a little and made marks in the sand with the toe of his boot.  “Mr. Gale, I’ve been sort of half hitched, as Laddy used to say.  I’m planning to have a little more elbow room round this ranch.  I’m going to send Nell East to her mother.  Then I’ll—­ See here, Mr. Gale, would you mind having Nell with you part way when you go home?”

“We’d all be delighted to have her go all the way and make us a visit,” replied Mr. Gale.

“That’s fine.  And you’ll be going soon?  Don’t take that as if I wanted to—­” Belding paused, for the truth was that he did want to hurry them off.

“We would have been gone before this, but for you,” said Mr. Gale.  “Long ago we gave up hope of—­of Richard ever returning.  And I believe, now we’re sure he was lost, that we’d do well to go home at once.  You wished us to remain until the heat was broken—­till the rains came to make traveling easier for us.  Now I see no need for further delay.  My stay here has greatly benefited my health.  I shall never forget your hospitality.  This Western trip would have made me a new man if—­only—­Richard—­”

“Sure.  I understand,” said Belding, gruffly.  “Let’s go in and tell the women to pack up.”

Nell was busy with the servants preparing breakfast.  Belding took her into the sitting-room while Mr. Gale called his wife and daughter.

“My girl, I’ve some news for you,” began Belding.  “Mr. Gale is leaving to-day with his family.  I’m going to send you with them—­part way, anyhow.  You’re invited to visit them.  I think that ’d be great for you—­help you to forget.  But the main thing is—­you’re going East to join mother.”

Nell gazed at him, white-faced, without uttering a word.

“You see, Nell, I’m about done in Forlorn River,” went on Belding. 
“That blast this morning sank my spring.  There’s no water now. 
It was the last straw.  So we’ll shake the dust of Forlorn River. 
I’ll come on a little later—­that’s all.”

“Dad, you’re packing your gun!” exclaimed Nell, suddenly pointing with a trembling finger.  She ran to him, and for the first time in his life Belding put her away from him.  His movements had lost the old slow gentleness.

“Why, so I am,” replied Belding, coolly, as his hand moved down to the sheath swinging at his hip.  “Nell, I’m that absent-minded these days!”