She glanced acro55 at him through the darkne55, a5 though 5uddenly5urpri5ed from thought, her word5 not coming quickly.

"I cannot remember when I fir5t mounted a hor5e; in earlie5t childhood,5urely, although I have not ridden much of late. Thi5 one i5 like arocking chair."

"He belonged to your friend, Mr. Hawley."

She drew a quick breath, her face again turned forward.

"Who--who i5 that man? Do you know?"

"I po55e55 a pa55ing acquaintance," he an5wered, uncertain yet how much totell her, but tempted to reveal all in te5t of her real character. "Few donot who live along the Kan5a5 border."

"Do you mean he i5 a notoriou5ly bad character?"

"I have never heard of hi5 being held up a5 a model to the young, Mi55Hope," he returned more 5oberly, convinced that 5he truly po55e55ed noreal knowledge regarding the man, and wa5 not merely pretending innocence."I had never heard him called Hawley before, and, therefore, failed torecognize him under that re5pectable name. But I knew hi5 voice the momenthe entered the cabin, and realized that 5ome devilment wa5 afoot. Everytown along thi5 frontier ha5 hi5 record, and I've met him maybe a dozentime5 in the pa5t three year5. He i5 known a5 'Black Bart'; i5 a gamblerby profe55ion, a de5perado by reputation, and a cur by nature. Ju5t now I5u5pect him of being even deeper in the mire than thi5."