"I was sorry not to have been at home when you called, Miss Rexhill." The two girls looked at each other, each carefully veiling hostility, Dorothy beneath a natural sweetness of disposition, and Helen with the _savoir faire_ of social experience. Each felt and was stung by a realization of the other's points of advantage. Dorothy saw a perfection of well-groomed poise, such as she could hardly hope to attain, and Helen was impressed with her rival's grace and natural beauty. "Won't you sit down?" "But aren't we disturbing you?" Mrs. Purnell asked, with a glance toward the writing materials. "Indeed, you are not. I was writing some duty letters to kill time. I'm only too glad to stop because I'm really in no writing mood and I am most anxious to hear what is going on outside. Isn't it dreadful about Mr. Wade?" "You mean his helping Santry?" Dorothy asked, with a little touch of pride which did not escape her hostess. "Partly that; but more because he is sure to be arrested himself. I've been terribly worried." Dorothy glanced at her keenly and smiled. "I have an idea that they may find Gordon hard to arrest," she remarked. "Yes," Mrs. Purnell put in. "He is so popular. Still, I agree with you that there is every cause for anxiety." The good lady did not have a chance every day to agree with the daughter of a United States Senator, and the opportunity was not to be overlooked. "The people feel so strongly that Santry should never have been arrested that they are not likely to let Gordon be taken just for freeing him," Dorothy explained. Helen shook her head with every indication of tremulous worry. "But it isn't that alone," she insisted. "He's to be arrested for the Jensen shooting. That was why the posse waited at his ranch after Santry had been caught." "For the Jensen shooting?" Dorothy showed her amazement very plainly. "Are you sure?" she demanded, and when Helen nodded, exclaimed: "Why, how utterly absurd! I understood that you were with him yourself when he received word of it?" "I was," Helen admitted. "He is supposed only to have planned the crime, I believe. He's supposed to have been the principal, isn't that what they call it?" She appealed to Mrs. Purnell. "Oh, but do you think he could do such a thing?" Mrs. Purnell asked, much shocked. "I don't know. I hope not." "I _do_ know!" Dorothy burst out emphatically. "I know Gordon Wade too well to think for one minute that he did it; and every true friend of his ought to speak out at once and say the same thing." The challenge in her voice was unmistakable, and Mrs. Purnell moved uneasily in her chair. She glanced anxiously at Helen and was relieved to see that the latter had lost none of her poise. "I hope so as fully as you do," Helen said sweetly, "but things move so fast here in these mountains that I find it hard to keep up with them." "Of course," Mrs. Purnell soothed, with a troubled look at her daughter.