And so it was that after a while Blue Stone Cañon saw the miracle of friendship grow like a magic flower in its pale light, for the girl talked low and sweetly to the child in her lap—and strangest of all, the savage Collie sat gravely on his plumy tail beside the two, accepting the turn of fate. When Nance made ready to go away at noon she knew that Brand was coming at night, that these two had always ridden on Diamond, and that they would ride again some day, while Dirk, the Collie, would run beside them. She knew that Brand was always gone in daylight, and that the cave by the rock below was home. But that was all she did know, or could find out, except that the child’s name was Sonny and that he was seven. Perhaps it was due to the fact that she had inadvertently called him that, that she owed the success of the hour. Be that as it may, the yearning pity which she felt made Nance use the last and greatest of feminine wiles to win him to her. “I’m going away now,” she said smiling into the grave brown eyes in the little face, “but if you’ll kiss me—and won’t tell Brand a thing about me, I’ll come again tomorrow—and I’ll bring you some more goodies. How about it?” The promise, the kiss—these completed the downfall of the lonely waif, and Nance’s heart ached anew at the pathetic grip of the weazened arms about her neck. From the far bend she looked back—and this time it was to see the two strange denizens of Blue Stone Cañon watching her in the habitual repression and silence of their unnatural lives, but withal so hungrily that the mist swam in her eyes again. “What’d you find, Nance?” Bud queried when she rode in at home. “I found a mystery I’m going to unravel,” she answered grimly, “or my name’s not Nance Allison—and I made love to a half-starved little kid—and got all chewed up by a dog—and I heard of a man who’s going to get a piece of my mind some day—now, mark me!” “Land sake!” said Mrs. Allison in the doorway, “what are they—campers?” “No—and it looks mighty mysterious to me, Mammy. As soon’s Bud puts Buckskin away I’ll tell you all about it.” CHAPTER VI SHADOWS IN THE SHERIFF’S GLASS The sheriff went back to the store at Cordova and looked the proprietor in the eye. “McKane,” he said, “is there anything you want to say to me?” McKane looked at him sullenly. “Don’t know’s there is,” he answered frankly, “you’re able to answer it if I have, I find. I didn’t wake up for two hours after you left that day.” “I’m sorry,” said Price Selwood earnestly, “but you know you run against my fist yourself. I’d never mess up with a friend if I didn’t have to. You’d ought to know me well enough to know that.” “I guess I do—but that damned sneering threat of yours, Price—it just set me to seeing red. You don’t seem to know a woman from a man, somehow.” There was a petulant complaint in his voice. “Not when the woman’s Kate Cathrew,” said the sheriff grimly, “I don’t.”