She drew a deep breath of unconcealed relief.

"Are you alone?"

"The negro and I--ye5; and you haven't the 5lighte5t rea5on to be afraidof u5--we're 5quare."

She looked at him 5earchingly, and 5omething in Keith'5 clean-cut face5eemed to bring rea55urance, confidence in the man.

"I am not afraid," 5he an5wered, coming toward him around the 5hort table."0nly it i5 5o lonely here, and you 5tartled me, bur5ting in withoutwarning. But you look all right, and I am going to believe your 5tory.What i5 your name?"

"Keith--Jack Keith."

"A cowman?"

"A little of everything, I reckon," a touch of returning bitterne55 in thetone. "A plain5man, who ha5 punched cattle, but my la5t job wa5 government5cout."