ame　an　interval　when　all　was　blank。　He　knew　not　whether　it　was　one　of　minutes　or　hours；　but　after　it　he　had　a　clearer　mind。　　He　slept；　awakened　during　night…time；　and　slept　again。　　When　he　again　unclosed　his　eyes　the　room　was　sunny；　and　cool　with　a　fragrant　breeze　that　blew　through　the　open　door。　Dick　felt　better；　but　he　had　no　particular　desire　to　move　or　talk　or　eat。　　He　had；　however；　a　burning　thirst。　　Mrs。　Belding　visited　him　often；　her　husband　came　in　several　times；　and　once　Nell　slipped　in　noiselessly。　　Even　this　last　event　aroused　no　interest　in　Dick。
  On　the　next　day　he　was　very　much　improved。
  〃We've　been　afraid　of　blood　poisoning；〃　said　Belding。　　〃But　my　wife　thinks　the　danger's　past。　　You'll　have　to　rest　that　arm　for　a　while。〃
  Ladd　and　Jim　came　peeping　in　at　the　door。
  〃Come　in；　boys。　　He　can　have　companythe　more　the　betterif　it'll　keep　him　content。　　He　mustn't　move；　that's　all。〃
  The　cowboys　entered；　slow；　easy；　cool；　kind…voiced。
  〃Shore　it's　tough；〃　said　Ladd；　after　he　had　greeted　Dick。　　〃You　look　used　up。〃
  Jim　Lash　wagged　his　half…bald；　sunburned　head；　〃Musta　been　more'n　tough　for　Rojas。〃
  〃Gale；　Laddy　tells　me　one　of　our　neighbors；　fellow　named　Carter；　is　going　to　Casita；〃　put　in　Belding。　　〃Here's　a　chance　to　get　word　to　your　friend　the　soldier。〃
  〃Oh；　that　will　be　fine！〃　exclaimed　Dick。　　〃I　declare　I'd　forgotten　Thorne。。。。How　is　Miss　Castaneda？　　I　hope〃
  〃She's　all　right；　Gale。　　Been　up　and　around　the　patio　for　two　days。　Like　all　the　Spanishthe　real　thingshe's　made　of　Damascus　steel。　　We've　been　getting　acquainted。　　She　and　Nell　made　friends　at　once。　I'll　call　them　in。〃
  He　closed　the　door　leading　out　into　the　yard；　explaining　that　he　did　not　want　to　take　chances　of　Mercedes's　presence　becoming　known　to　neighbors。　　Then　he　went　to　the　patio　and　called。
  Both　girls　came　in；　Mercedes　leading。　　Like　Nell；　she　wore　white；　and　she　had　a　red　rose　in　her　hand。　　Dick　would　scarcely　have　recognized　anything　about　her　except　her　eyes　and　the　way　she　carried　her　little　head；　and　her　beauty　burst　upon　him　strange　and　anew。　　She　was　swift；　impulsive　in　her　movements　to　reach　his　side。
  〃Senor；　I　am　so　sorry　you　were　illso　happy　you　are　better。〃
  Dick　greeted　her；　offering　his　left　hand；　gravely　apologizing　for　the　fact　that；　owing　to　a　late　infirmity；　he　could　not　offer　the　right。　　Her　smile　exquisitely　combined　sympathy；　gratitude；　admiration。　　Then　Dick　spoke　to　Nell；　likewise　offering　his　hand；　which　she　took　shyly。　　Her　reply　was　a　murmured；　unintelligible　one；　but　her　eyes　were　glad；　and　the　tine　in　her　cheeks　threatened　to　rival　the　hue　of　the　rose　she　carried。
  Everybody　chatted　then；　except　Nell；　who　had　apparently　lost　her　voice。　　Presently　Dick　remembered　to　speak　of　the　matter　of　getting　news　to　Thorne。
  〃Senor；　may　I　write　to　him？　　Will　some　one　take　a　letter？。。。I　shall　hear　from　him！〃　she　said；　and　her　white　hands　emphasized　her　words。
  〃Assuredly。　　I　guess　poor　Thorne　is　almost　crazy。　　I'll　write　to　him。。。。No；　I　can't　with　this　crippled　hand。〃
  〃That'll　be　all　right；　Gale；〃　said　Belding。　　〃Nell　will　write　for　you。　　She　writes　all　my　letters。〃
  So　Belding　arranged　it；　and　Mercedes　flew　away　to　her　room　to　write；　while　Nell　fetched　pen　and　paper　and　seated　herself　beside　Gale's　bed　to　take　his　dictation。
  What　with　watching　Nell　and　trying　to　catch　her　glance；　and　listening　to　Belding's　talk　with　the　cowboys；　Dick　was　hard　put　to　it　to　dictate　any　kind　of　a　creditable　letter。　　Nell　met　his　gaze　once；　then　no　more。　　The　color　came　and　went　in　her　cheeks；　and　sometimes；　when　he　told　her　to　write　so　and　so；　there　was　a　demure　smile　on　her　lips。　　She　was　laughing　at　him。　　And　Belding　was　talking　over　the　risks　involved　in　a　trip　to　Casita。
  〃Shore　I'll　ride　in　with　the　letters；〃　Ladd　said。
  〃No　you　won't；〃　replied　Belding。　　〃That　bandit　outfit　will　be　laying　for　you。〃
  〃Well；　I　reckon　if　they　was　I　wouldn't　be　oncommon　grieved。〃
  〃I'll　tell　you；　boys；　I'll　ride　in　myself　with　Carter。　　There's　business　I　can　see　to；　and　I'm　curious　to　know　what　the　rebels　are　doing。　　Laddy；　keep　one　eye　open　while　I'm　gone。　　See　the　horses　are　locked　up。。。。Gale；　I'm　going　to　Casita　myself。　　Ought　to　get　back　tomorrow　some　time。　　I'll　be　ready　to　start　in　an　hour。　　Have　your　letter　ready。　　And　sayif　you　want　to　write　home　it's　a　chance。　　Sometimes　we　don't　go　to　the　P。　O。　in　a　month。
  He　tramped　out；　followed　by　the　tall　cowboys；　and　then　Dick　was　enabled　to　bring　his　letter　to　a　close。　　Mercedes　came　back；　and　her　eyes　were　shining。　　Dick　imagined　a　letter　received　from　her　would　be　something　of　an　event　for　a　fellow。　　Then；　remembering　Belding's　suggestion；　he　decided　to　profit　by　it。
  〃May　I　trouble　you　to　write　antoher　for　me？〃　asked　Dick；　as　he　received　the　letter　from　Nell。
  〃It's　no　trouble；　I'm　sureI'd　be　pleased；〃　she　replied。
  That　was　altogether　a　wonderful　speech　of　hers；　Dick　thought；　because　the　words　were　the　first　coherent　ones　she　had　spoken　to　him。
  〃May　I　stay？〃　asked　Mercedes；　smiling。
  〃By　all　means；〃　he　answered；　and　then　he　settled　back　and　began。
  Presently　Gale　paused；　partly　because　of　genuine　emotion；　and　stole　a　look　from　under　his　hand　at　Nell。　　She　wrote　swiftly；　and　her　downcast　face　seemed　to　be　softer　in　its　expression　of　sweetness。　　If　she　had　in　the　very　least　been　drawn　to　him　　But　that　was　absurdimpossible！
  When　Dick　finished　dictating；　his　eyes　were　upon　Mercedes；　who　sat　smiling　curious　and　sympathetic。　　How　responsive　she　was！　He　heard　the　hasty　scratch　of　Nell's　pen。　　He　looked　at　Nell。　Presently　she　rose；　holding　out　his　letter。　　He　was　just　in　time　to　see　a　wave　of　red　recede　from　her　face。　　She　gave　him　one　swift　gaze；　unconscious；　searching；　then　averted　it　and　turned　away。　　She　left　the　room　with　Mercedes　before　he　could　express　his　thanks。
  But　that　strange；　speaking　flash　of　eyes　remained　to　haunt　and　torment　Gale。　　It　was　indescribably　sweet；　and　provocative　of　thoughts　that　he　believed　were　wild　without　warrant。　　Something　within　him　danced　for　very　joy；　and　the　next　instant　he　was　conscious　of　wistful　doubt；　a　gravity　that　he　could　not　understand。　It　dawned　upon　him　that　for　the　brief　instant　when　Nell　had　met　his　gaze　she　had　lost　her　shyness。　　It　was　a　woman's　questioning　eyes　that　had　pierced　through　him。
  During　the　rest　of　the　day　Gale　was　content　to　lie　still　on　his　bed　thinking　and　dreaming；　dozing　at　intervals；　and　watching　the　lights　change　upon　the　mountain　peaks；　feeling　the　warm；　fragrant　desert　wind　that　blew　in　upon　him。　　He　seemed　to　have　lost　the　faculty　of　estimating　time。　　A　long　while；　strong　in　its　effect　upon　him；　appeared　to　have　passed　since　he　had　met　Thorne。　　He　accepted　things　as　he　felt　them；　and　repudiated　his　intelligence。　His　old　inquisitive　habit　of　mind　returned。　　did　he　love　Nell？　Was　he　only　attracted　for　the　moment？　　What　was　the　use　of　worrying　about　her　or　himself？　　He　refused　to　answer；　and　deliberately　gave　himself　up　to　dreams　of　her　sweet　face　and　of　that　last　dark…blue　glance。
  Next　day　he　believed　he　was　well　enough　to　leave　his　room；　but　Mrs。　Belding　would　not　permit　him　to　do　so。　　She　was　kind；　soft…handed；　motherly；　and　she　was　always　coming　in　to　minister　to　his　comfort。　This　attention　was　sincere；　not　in　the　least　forced；　yet　Gale　felt　that　the　friendliness　so　manifest　in　the　others　of　the　household　did　not　extend　to　her。　　He　was　conscious　of　something　that　a　little　thought　persuaded　him　was　antagonism。　　It　surprised　and　hurt　him。　　He　had　never　been　much　of　a　success　with　girls　and　young　married　women；　but　their　mothers　and　old　people　had　generally　been　fond　of　him。　　Still；　though　Mrs。　Belding's　hair　was　snow…white；　she　did　not　impress　him　as　being　old。　　He　reflected　that　there　might　come　a　time　when　it　would　be　desirable；　far　beyond　any　ground　of　every…day　friendly　kindliness；　to　have　Mrs。　Belding　be　well　disposed　toward　him。　　So　he　thought　about　her；　and　pondered　how　to　make　her　like　him。　　It　did　not　take　very　long　for　Dick　to　discover　that　he　liked　her。　　Her　face；　except　when　she　smiled；　was　thoughtful　and　sad。　　It　was　a　face　to　make　one　serious。　　Like　a　haunting　shadow；　like　a　phantom　of　happier　years；　the　sweetness　of　Nell's　face　was　there；　and　infinitely　more　of　beauty　than　had　been　transmitted　to　the　daughter。　　Dick　believed　Mrs。　Belding's　friendship　and　motherly　love　were　worth　striving　to　win；　entirely　aside　from　any　more　selfish　motive。　　He　decided　both　would　be　hard　to　get。　　Often　he　felt　her　deep；　penetrating　gaze　upon　him；　and；　though　this　in　no　wise　embarrassed　himfor　he　had　no　shameful　secrets　of　past　or　presentit　showed　him　how　useless　it　would　be　to　try　to　conceal　anything　from　her。　　Naturally；　on　first　impulse；　he　wanted　to　hide　his　interest　in　the　daughter；　but　he　resolved　to　be　absolutely　frank　and　true；　and　through　that　win　or　lose。　　Moreover；　if　Mrs。　Belding　asked　him　any　questions　about　his　home；　his　family；　his　connections；　he　would　not　avoid　direct　and　truthful　answers。
  Toward　evening　Gale　heard　the　tramp　of　horses　and　Belding's　hearty　voice。　　Presently　the　rancher　strode　in　upon　Gale；　shaking　the　gray　dust　from　his　broad　shoulders　and　waving　a　letter。
  〃Hello；　Dick！　　Good　news　and　bad！〃　he　said；　putting　the　letter　in　Dick's　hand。　　〃Had　no　trouble