"Indeed!" and Mrs. Herndon's voice was not altogether pleasant. "I

understood she was entirely alone and friendless. Are you that man who

brought her out of the canyon?"

Hampton bowed as though half ashamed of acknowledging the act.

"Oh! then I know who you are," she continued, unhesitatingly. "You are

a gambler and a bar-room rough. I won't touch a penny of your money.

I told Mr. Wynkoop that I shouldn't, but that I would endeavor to do my

Christian duty by this poor girl. He was to bring her here himself,

and keep you away."

The man smiled slightly, not in the least disconcerted by her plain

speech. The cutting words merely served to put him on his mettle.

"Probably we departed from the hotel somewhat earlier than the minister

anticipated," he explained, quietly, his old ease of manner returning

in face of such open opposition. "I greatly regret your evident

prejudice, madam, and can only say that I have more confidence in you

than you appear to have in me. I shall certainly discover some means

by which I may do my part in shaping this girl's future, but in the

meanwhile will relieve you of my undesired presence."

He stepped without into the glare of the sunlight, feeling utterly

careless as to the woman who had affronted him, yet somewhat hurt on

seeing that the girl had not once lifted her downcast eyes to his face.

Yet he had scarcely taken three steps toward the road before she was

beside him, her hand upon his sleeve.

"I won't stay!" she exclaimed, fiercely, "I won't, Bob Hampton. I 'd

rather go with you than be good."

His sensitive face flushed with delight, but he looked gravely down

into her indignant eyes. "Oh, yes, you will, Kid," and his hand

touched her roughened hair caressingly. "She's a good, kind woman, all

right, and I don't blame her for not liking my style."

"Do--do you really want me to stick it out here, Bob?"

It was no small struggle for him to say so, for he was beginning to

comprehend just what this separation meant. She was more to him than

he had ever supposed, more to him than she had been even an hour

before; and now he understood clearly that from this moment they must

ever run farther apart--her life tending upward, his down. Yet there

was but one decision possible. A life which is lonely and

dissatisfied, a wasted life, never fully realizes how lonely,

dissatisfied, and wasted it is until some new life, beautiful in young

hope and possibility, comes into contact with it. For a single instant

Hampton toyed with the temptation confronting him, this opportunity of

brightening his own miserable future by means of her degradation. Then

he answered, his voice grown almost harsh. "This is your best chance,

little girl, and I want you to stay and fight it out."




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