cival Saint Clair； an ex…sheep…herder of the Rancho Chiquito； might have been seen； with a hundred and nine dollarswages and blood…moneyin his pocket； riding south on another horse belonging to said ranch。〃
The red…faced man paused and listened。 The whistle of a coming freight…train sounded far away among the low hills。
The fat； seedy man at his side sniffed； and shook his frowzy head slowly and disparagingly。
〃What is it； Snipy？〃 asked the other。 〃Got the blues again？〃
〃No； I ain't〃 said the seedy one； sniffing again。 〃But I don't like your talk。 You and me have been friends； off and on； for fifteen year； and I never yet knew or heard of you giving anybody up to the lawnot no one。 And here was a man whose saleratus you had et and at whose table you had played games of cardsif casino can be so called。 And yet you inform him to the law and take money for it。 It never was like you； I say。〃
〃This H。 Ogden；〃 resumed the red…faced man； 〃through a lawyer； proved himself free by alibis and other legal terminalities； as I so heard afterward。 He never suffered no harm。 He did me favors； and I hated to hand him over。〃
〃How about the bills they found in his pocket？〃 asked the seedy man。
〃I put 'em there；〃 said the red…faced man； 〃while he was asleep； when I saw the posse riding up。 I was Black Bill。 Look out； Snipy； here she comes！ We'll board her on the bumpers when she takes water at the tank。〃
SCHOOLS AND SCHOOLS
I
Old Jerome Warren lived in a hundred…thousand…dollar house at 35 East Fifty…Soforth Street。 He was a down…town broker； so rich that he could afford to walkfor his healtha few blocks in the direction of his office every morning； and then call a cab。
He had an adopted son； the son of an old friend named GilbertCyril Scott could play him nicelywho was becoming a successful painter as fast as he could squeeze the paint out of his tubes。 Another member of the household was Barbara Ross； a stepniece。 Man is born to trouble； so； as old Jerome had no family of his own； he took up the burdens of others。
Gilbert and Barbara got along swimmingly。 There was a tacit and tactical understanding all round that the two would stand up under a floral bell some high noon； and promise the minister to keep old Jerome's money in a state of high commotion。 But at this point complications must be introduced。
Thirty years before； when old Jerome was young Jerome； there was a brother of his named Dick。 Dick went West to seek his or somebody else's fortune。 Nothing was heard of him until one day old Jerome had a letter from his brother。 It was badly written on ruled paper that smelled of salt bacon and coffee…grounds。 The writing was asthmatic and the spelling St。 Vitusy。
It appeared that instead of Dick having forced Fortune to stand and deliver； he had been held up himself； and made to give hostages to the enemy。 That is； as his letter disclosed； he was on the point of pegging out with a complication of disorders that even whiskey had failed to check。 All that his thirty years of prospecting had netted him was one daughter； nineteen years old； as per invoice； whom he was shipping East； charges prepaid； for Jerome to clothe； feed； educate； comfort； and cherish for the rest of her natural life or until matrimony should them part。
Old Jerome was a board…walk。 Everybody knows that the world is supported by the shoulders of Atlas； and that Atlas stands on a rail… fence； and that the rail…fence is built on a turtle's back。 Now； the turtle has to stand on something； and that is a board…walk made of men like old Jerome。
I do not know whether immortality shall accrue to man； but if not so； I would like to know when men like old Jerome get what is due them？
They met Nevada Warren at the station。 She was a little girl； deeply sunburned and wholesomely good…looking； with a manner that was frankly unsophisticated； yet one that not even a cigar…drummer would intrude upon without thinking twice。 Looking at her； somehow you would expect to see her in a short skirt and leather leggings； shooting glass balls or taming mustangs。 But in her plain white waist and black skirt she sent you guessing again。 With an easy exhibition of strength she swung along a heavy valise； which the uniformed porters tried in vain to wrest from her。
〃I am sure we shall be the best of friends；〃 said Barbara； pecking at the firm； sunburned cheek。
〃I hope so；〃 said Nevada。
〃Dear little niece；〃 said old Jerome； 〃you are as welcome to my home as if it were your father's own。〃
〃Thanks；〃 said Nevada。
〃And I am going to call you 'cousin；'〃 said Gilbert； with his charming smile。
〃Take the valise； please；〃 said Nevada。 〃It weighs a million pounds。 It's got samples from six of dad's old mines in it；〃 she explained to Barbara。 〃I calculate they'd assay about nine cents to the thousand tons； but I promised him to bring them along。〃
II
It is a common custom to refer to the usual complication between one man and two ladies； or one lady and two men； or a lady and a man and a nobleman； orwell； any of those problemsas the triangle。 But they are never unqualified triangles。 They are always isoscelesnever equilateral。 So； upon the coming of Nevada Warren； she and Gilbert and Barbara Ross lined up into such a figurative triangle； and of that triangle Barbara formed the hypotenuse。
One morning old Jerome was lingering long after breakfast over the dullest morning paper in the city before setting forth to his down… town fly…trap。 He had become quite fond of Nevada； finding in her much of his dead brother's quiet independence and unsuspicious frankness。
A maid brought in a note for Miss Nevada Warren。
〃A messenger…boy delivered it at the door； please；〃 she said。 〃He's waiting for an answer。〃
Nevada； who was whistling a Spanish waltz between her teeth； and watching the carriages and autos roll by in the street； took the envelope。 She knew it was from Gilbert； before she opened it； by the little gold palette in the upper left…hand corner。
After tearing it open she pored over the contents for a while； absorbedly。 Then； with a serious face； she went and stood at her uncle's elbow。
〃Uncle Jerome； Gilbert is a nice boy； isn't he？〃
〃Why； bless the child！〃 said old Jerome； crackling his paper loudly； 〃of course he is。 I raised him myself。〃
〃He wouldn't write anything to anybody that wasn't exactlyI mean that everybody couldn't know and read； would he？〃
〃I'd just like to see him try it；〃 said uncle； tearing a handful from his newspaper。 〃Why； what〃
〃Read this note he just sent me； uncle； and see if you think it's all right and proper。 You see； I don't know much about city people and their ways。〃
Old Jerome threw his paper down and set both his feet upon it。 He took Gilbert's note and fiercely perused it twice； and then a third time。
〃Why； child；〃 said he； 〃you had me almost excited； although I was sure of that boy。 He's a duplicate of his father； and he was a gilt…edged diamond。 He only asks if you and Barbara will be ready at four o'clock this afternoon for an automobile drive over to Long Island。 I don't see anything to criticise in it except the stationery。 I always did hate that shade of blue。〃
〃Would it be all right to go？〃 asked Nevada； eagerly。
〃Yes； yes； yes； child； of course。 Why not？ Still； it pleases me to see you so careful and candid。 Go； by all means。〃
〃I didn't know；〃 said Nevada； demurely。 〃I thought I'd ask you。 Couldn't you go with us； uncle？〃
〃I？ No； no； no； no！ I've ridden once in a car that boy was driving。 Never again！ But it's entirely proper for you and Barbara to go。 Yes； yes。 But I will not。 No； no； no； no！〃
Nevada flew to the door； and said to the maid：
〃You bet we'll go。 I'll answer for Miss Barbara。 Tell the boy to say to Mr。 Warren； 'You bet we'll go。'〃
〃Nevada；〃 called old Jerome； 〃pardon me； my dear； but wouldn't it be as well to send him a note in reply？ Just a line would do。〃
〃No； I won't bother about that；〃 said Nevada； gayly。 〃Gilbert will understandhe always does。 I never rode in an automobile in my life； but I've paddled a canoe down Little Devil River through the Lost Horse Canon； and if it's any livelier than that I'd like to know！〃
III
Two months are supposed to have elapsed。
Barbara sat in the study of the hundred…thousand…dollar house。 It was a good place for her。 Many places are provided in the world where men and women may repair for the purpose of extricating themselves from divers difficulties。 There are cloisters； wailing…places； watering… places； confessionals； hermitages； lawyer's offices； beauty parlors； air…ships； and studies； and the greatest of these are studies。
It usually takes a hypotenuse a long time to discover that it is the longest side of a triangle。 But it's a long line that has no turning。
Barbara was alone。 Uncle Jerome and Nevada had gone to the theatre。 Barbara had not cared to go。 She wanted to stay at home and study in the study。 If you； miss； were a stunning New York girl； and saw every day that a brown； ingenuous Wester