him。　She　rode　on。　If　she　could　pass　West　Fork　she　believed　her　courage　would　rise　to　the　completion　of　this　ordeal。　Places　were　what　she　feared。　Places　that　she　had　loved　while　blindly　believing　she　hated！　There　the　narrow　gap　of　green　and　blue　split　the　looming　red　wall。　She　was　looking　into　West　Fork。　Up　there　stood　the　cabin。　How　fierce　a　pang　rent　her　breast！　She　faltered　at　the　crossing　of　the　branch　stream；　and　almost　surrendered。　The　water　murmured；　the　leaves　rustled；　the　bees　hummed；　the　birds　sangall　with　some　sad　sweetness　that　seemed　of　the　past。
  Then　the　trail　leading　up　West　Fork　was　like　a　barrier。　She　saw　horse　tracks　in　it。　Next　she　descried　boot　tracks　the　shape　of　which　was　so　well…remembered　that　it　shook　her　heart。　There　were　fresh　tracks　in　the　sand；　pointing　in　the　direction　of　the　Lodge。　Ah！　that　was　where　Glenn　lived　now。　Carley　strained　at　her　will　to　keep　it　fighting　her　memory。　The　glory　and　the　dream　were　gone！
  A　touch　of　spur　urged　her　mustang　into　a　gallop。　The　splashing　ford　of　the　creekthe　still；　eddying　pool　beyondthe　green　orchardsthe　white　lacy　waterfalland　Lolomi　Lodge！
  Nothing　had　altered。　But　Carley　seemed　returning　after　many　years。　Slowly　she　dismountedslowly　she　climbed　the　porch　steps。　Was　there　no　one　at　home？　Yet　the　vacant　doorway；　the　silencesomething　attested　to　the　knowledge　of　Carley's　presence。　Then　suddenly　Mrs。　Hutter　fluttered　out　with　Flo　behind　her。
  〃You　dear　girlI'm　so　glad！〃　cried　Mrs。　Hutter；　her　voice　trembling。
  〃I'm　glad　to　see　you；　too；〃　said　Carley；　bending　to　receive　Mrs。　Hutter's　embrace。　Carley　saw　dim　eyesthe　stress　of　agitation；　but　no　surprise。
  〃Oh；　Carley！〃　burst　out　the　Western　girl；　with　voice　rich　and　full；　yet　tremulous。
  〃Flo；　I've　come　to　wish　you　happiness；〃　replied　Carley；　very　low。
  Was　it　the　same　Flo？　This　seemed　more　of　a　womanstrange　nowwhite　and　strainedbeautiful；　eager；　questioning。　A　cry　of　gladness　burst　from　her。　Carley　felt　herself　enveloped　in　strong　close　clasp…and　then　a　warm；　quick　kiss　of　joy；　It　shocked　her；　yet　somehow　thrilled。　Sure　was　the　welcome　here。　Sure　was　the　strained　situation；　also；　but　the　voice　rang　too　glad　a　note　for　Carley。　It　touched　her　deeply；　yet　she　could　not　understand。　She　had　not　measured　the　depth　of　Western　friendship。
  〃Have　youseen　Glenn？〃　queried　Flo；　breathlessly。
  〃Oh　no；　indeed　not；〃　replied　Carley；　slowly　gaining　composure。　The　nervous　agitation　of　these　women　had　stilled　her　own。　〃I　just　rode　up　the　trail。　Where　is　he？〃
  〃He　was　herea　moment　ago；〃　panted　Flo。　〃Oh；　Carley；　we　sure　are　locoed。　。　。　。　Why；　we　only　heard　an　hour　agothat　you　were　at　Deep　Lake。　。　。　。　Charley　rode　in。　He　told　us。　。　。　。　I　thought　my　heart　would　break。　Poor　Glenn！　When　he　heard　it。　。　。　。　But　never　mind　me。　Jump　your　horse　and　run　to　West　Fork！〃
  The　spirit　of　her　was　like　the　strength　of　her　arms　as　she　hurried　Carley　across　the　porch　and　shoved　her　down　the　steps。
  〃Climb　on　and　run；　Carley；〃　cried　Flo。　〃If　you　only　knew　how　glad　he'll　be　that　you　came！〃
  Carley　leaped　into　the　saddle　and　wheeled　the　mustang。　But　she　had　no　answer　for　the　girl's　singular；　almost　wild　exultance。　Then　like　a　shot　the　spirited　mustang　was　off　down　the　lane。　Carley　wondered　with　swelling　heart。　Was　her　coming　such　a　wondrous　surpriseso　unexpected　and　big　in　generositysomething　that　would　make　Kilbourne　as　glad　as　it　had　seemed　to　make　Flo？　Carley　thrilled　to　this　assurance。
  Down　the　lane　she　flew。　The　red　walls　blurred　and　the　sweet　wind　whipped　her　face。　At　the　trail　she　swerved　the　mustang；　but　did　not　check　his　gait。　Under　the　great　pines　he　sped　and　round　the　bulging　wall。　At　the　rocky　incline　leading　to　the　creek　she　pulled　the　fiery　animal　to　a　trot。　How　low　and　clear　the　water！　As　Carley　forded　it　fresh　cool　drops　splashed　into　her　face。　Again　she　spurred　her　mount　and　again　trees　and　walls　rushed　by。　Up　and　down　the　yellow　bits　of　trailon　over　the　brown　mats　of　pine　needles　until　there　in　the　sunlight　shone　the　little　gray　log　cabin　with　a　tall　form　standing　in　the　door。　One　instant　the　canyon　tilted　on　end　for　Carley　and　she　was　riding　into　the　blue　sky。　Then　some　magic　of　soul　sustained　her；　so　that　she　saw　clearly。　Reaching　the　cabin　she　reined　in　her　mustang。
  〃Hello；　Glenn！　Look　who's　here！〃　she　cried；　not　wholly　failing　of　gayety。
  He　threw　up　his　sombrero。
  〃Whoopee！〃　he　yelled；　in　stentorian　voice　that　rolled　across　the　canyon　and　bellowed　in　hollow　echo　and　then　clapped　from　wall　to　wall。　The　unexpected　Western　yell；　so　strange　from　Glenn；　disconcerted　Carley。　Had　he　only　answered　her　spirit　of　greeting？　Had　hers　rung　false？
  But　he　was　coming　to　her。　She　had　seen　the　bronze　of　his　face　turn　to　white。　How　gaunt　and　worn　he　looked。　Older　he　appeared；　with　deeper　lines　and　whiter　hair。　His　jaw　quivered。
  〃Carley　Burch；　so　it　was　you？〃　he　queried；　hoarsely。
  〃Glenn；　I　reckon　it　was；〃　she　replied。　〃I　bought　your　Deep　Lake　ranch　site。　I　came　back　too　late　。　。　。　。　But　it　is　never　too　late　for　some　things。　。　。　。　I've　come　to　wish　you　and　Flo　all　the　happiness　in　the　worldand　to　say　we　must　be　friends。〃
  The　way　he　looked　at　her　made　her　tremble。　He　strode　up　beside　the　mustang；　and　he　was　so　tall　that　his　shoulder　came　abreast　of　her。　He　placed　a　big　warm　hand　on　hers；　as　it　rested；　ungloved；　on　the　pommel　of　the　saddle。
  〃Have　you　seen　Flo？〃　he　asked。
  〃I　just　left　her。　It　was　funnythe　way　she　rushed　me　off　after　you。　As　if　there　weren't　two〃
  Was　it　Glenn's　eyes　or　the　movement　of　his　hand　that　checked　her　utterance？　His　gaze　pierced　her　soul。　His　hand　slid　along　her　arm　to　her　waistaround　it。　Her　heart　seemed　to　burst。
  〃Kick　your　feet　out　of　the　stirrups；〃　he　ordered。
  Instinctively　she　obeyed。　Then　with　a　strong　pull　he　hauled　her　half　out　of　the　saddle；　pellmell　into　his　arms。　Carley　had　no　resistance。　She　sank　limp；　in　an　agony　of　amaze。　Was　this　a　dream？　Swift　and　hard　his　lips　met　hersand　againand　again。　。　。　。
  〃Oh；　my　God！Glenn；　areyoumad？〃　she　whispered；　almost　swooning。
  〃SureI　reckon　I　am；〃　he　replied；　huskily；　and　pulled　her　all　the　way　out　of　the　saddle。
  Carley　would　have　fallen　but　for　his　support。　She　could　not　think。　She　was　all　instinct。　Only　the　amazethe　sudden　horrordriftedfaded　as　before　fires　of　her　heart！
  〃Kiss　me！〃　he　commanded。
  She　would　have　kissed　him　if　death　were　the　penalty。　How　his　face　blurred　in　her　dimmed　sight！　Was　that　a　strange　smile？　Then　he　held　her　back　from　him。
  〃Carleyyou　came　to　wish　Flo　and　me　happiness？〃　he　asked。
  〃Oh；　yesyes。　。　。　。　Pity　me；　Glennlet　me　go。　I　meant　well。　。　。　。　I　shouldnever　have　come。〃
  〃Do　you　love　me？〃　he　went　on；　with　passionate；　shaking　clasp。
  〃God　help　meI　doI　do！　。　。　。　And　now　it　will　kill　me！〃
  〃What　did　that　damned　fool　Charley　tell　you？〃
  The　strange　content　of　his　query；　the　trenchant　force　of　it；　brought　her　upright；　with　sight　suddenly　cleared。　Was　this　giant　the　tragic　Glenn　who　had　strode　to　her　from　the　cabin　door？
  〃Charley　told　meyou　and　Flowere　married；〃　she　whispered。
  〃You　didn't　believe　him！〃　returned　Glenn。
  She　could　no　longer　speak。　She　could　only　see　her　lover；　as　if　transfigured；　limned　dark　against　the　looming　red　wall。
  〃That　was　one　of　Charley's　queer　jokes。　I　told　you　to　beware　of　him。　Flo　is　married；　yesand　very　happy。　。　。　。　I'm　unutterably　happy；　toobut　I'm　not　married。　Lee　Stanton　was　the　lucky　bridegroom。　。　。　。　Carley；　the　moment　I　saw　you　I　knew　you　had　come　back　to　me。〃
  End