And now, as she dropped her gaze, he saw her start as her eyes rested on the tangled ropes that Lawler had torn from the two fence cutters when he had released them after he had carried her into the cabin.

The ropes were lying on the floor where he had thrown them in his haste.
"Has--has anything happened ?" she asked, looking swiftly at him, blushing again.
"Plenty," he said; "you came." "I--I mean--that is, has anything else happened ?" she added.

She seemed to hold her breath, for his answer.
"I caught two fence cutters." "Did they cut the fence ?" She was rigid, tense.
Lawler nodded, and he saw her hands clench.
"But there wasn't any damage done.

I caught them just after they cut it, and I made them repair it before the cattle got through." "And the two men ?" she questioned, breathlessly.
"They're in the dugout--with the horses.

They were in here, until you came." She leaned back, breathing fast.