"I'm glad you did mention it," she said, looking back as if fascinated. "Only, you see, I'd been hearing about the murder most of the day in the stage, and then this place is so big and wide and lonely! Please don't think I'm foolish." "It's all because you're from the city and haven't proportioned things as yet," said Lowell. "Now all this loneliness seems kindly, to me. It's only crowds that seem cruel. I often envy trappers dying alone in such places. Also I can understand why the Indians wanted nothing better in death than to have their bodies hoisted high atop of a hill, with nothing to disturb." As they rounded the top of the hill and the road came up behind them like an inverted curtain, Miss Scovill gave one last backward look. Lowell saw that she was weeping quietly, but unrestrainedly. He drove on in silence until he pulled the automobile up in front of the Morgan ranch. "You'll find Miss Ervin here," said Lowell, stepping out of the car. "This is the Greek Letter Ranch." If the prospect brought any new shock to Miss Scovill, she gave no indication of the fact. She answered Lowell steadily enough when he asked her when he should call for her on her return trip. "My return trip will be right now," she said. "I've thought it all out--just what I'm to do, with your help. Please don't take my suitcase from the car. Just turn the car around, and be ready to take us back to-night--I mean Helen and myself. I intend to bring her right out and take her away from this place." Wonderingly Lowell turned the car as she directed. Miss Scovill knocked at the ranch-house door. It was opened by Wong, and Miss Scovill stepped inside. The door closed again. Lowell rolled a cigarette and smoked it, and then rolled another. He was about to step out of the car and knock at the ranch-house door when Helen and Miss Scovill came out, each with an arm about the other's waist. Miss Scovill's face looked whiter than ever in the moonlight. "Something has happened," she said--"something that makes it impossible for me to go back--for Helen to go back with me to-night. If you can come and get me in the morning, I'll go back alone." Lowell's amazement knew no bounds. Miss Scovill had made this long journey from San Francisco to get Helen--evidently to wrest her at once away from this ranch of mystery--and now she was going back alone, leaving the girl among the very influences she had intended to combat. "Please, Mr. Lowell, do as she says," interposed Helen, whose demeanor was grave, but whose joy at this meeting with her teacher and foster mother shone in her eyes. "Yes, yes--you'll have our thanks all through your life if you will take me back to-morrow and say nothing of what you have seen or heard," said Miss Scovill. Lowell handed Miss Scovill's suitcase to the silent Wong, who had slipped out behind the women.