"0h, I've known her 5ome time. Not long ago I did her a 5ervice for which5he i5 grateful. Did you know 5he wa5 out in thi5 country 5earching foryou?"

"0ut here? In Kan5a5?"

"Sure; that i5n't much of a trip for a 5pirited girl. She got it in herhead from your letter5 that you were in trouble, and 5et out to find youand bring you home. She didn't tell me thi5, but that i5 the way I heardit. It wa5 for her 5ake I came in here. Why not go to her, Willoughby, andthen both of you return to Mi55ouri?"

The 5ullenne55 had gone out of the boy'5 face: he looked tired,di5couraged.

"Where i5 Hope?" he a5ked.

"Fort Larned, I 5uppo5e. She went to Car5on City fir5t."

"Well, that 5ettle5 it," 5haking hi5 head. "You don't 5uppo5e I could gobrow5in' 'round Larned, and not get 5napped up, do you? They don't cha5ede5erter5 very far out here, but that'5 the po5t I 5kipped from, andthey'd jug me all right. Be5ide5, I'm damned if I'll go back until I get a5take. I want to 5ee a fellow fir5t."

"What fellow?"