I ain't found him yet, but I'm still remembering, you see ?" He finished the anecdote with a chuckle which died out as he saw her eyes widen with horror.

Five years ago?
she was thinking, he must have been hardly more than a boy.

How many other chapters as violent as this were in his story?
"And--he didn't even offer to pay your doctor bill, I'll wager ?" "Him ?" Perris chuckled again.

"He'll pay it, some day.

It's just postponed--slow collection--that's all!" He shrugged the thought of it away, and straightened a little, plainly waiting to hear her business.
But her mind was still only half on her own affairs as she began talking.
"I have to go into the affairs of our ranch a little," she said, "so that you can understand why I've asked you to come here.