“You’re a wonderful woman. Not one in a million would accept us as you have done—lost waifs, ragged, hiding, mysterious. I didn’t think your kind lived. You’re old-fashioned—blessedly old-fashioned. Why did you accept us?” “My Mammy says there’s something in a woman’s heart that sets the stamp on a man for good or bad, a seventh sense. I know there is. A woman _feels_ to trust—or not to trust.” Fair nodded. “That’s it,” he said, “instinct—but maybe, some day, you may come to feel it has betrayed you—in our case—my case—I mean. What then?” Nance shook her head. “It won’t, Mr. Fair,” she replied. The man sighed and frowned. “God knows,” he said, “I hope not. But let’s get on—it’s getting pretty late.” Fair rode to the cave by the pool in silence. There he dismounted and brought from the blankets such poor bits of garments as belonged to the child, rolled them in a bundle and fastened them on Nance’s saddle. “I’m sorry they are so ragged,” he apologized. “It doesn’t matter,” said Nance, “Mammy has stuff that can be made over. We’ll fix him up.” Fair mounted again and rode with her to the mouth of Blue Stone. There he halted and lifted Sonny to Buckskin’s rump. The little fellow whimpered a bit and clung to his neck, while the man patted his bony little shoulder. “There—there, kid,” he said, “don’t you love Miss Allison?” “Yes,” wailed Sonny at last; “but—but—I just _love_ you, Brand!” “I’ve put in two pretty strenuous years for Sonny’s sake,” he said softly, “but they’ve been worth while, Miss Allison.” “The service of love is always worth while,” said Nance, “it’s the biggest thing in this world.” “And now,” said Fair, “if you’ll buck up and be a man, Sonny, I’ll promise to come right down to the homestead some night soon and see you—if Miss Allison will let me?” Something surged in the girl’s breast like a sunlit tide. “If you don’t, we’ll come hunting you,” she said. Then Fair kissed the boy, mounted Diamond and sat with hands crossed on his pommel while Buckskin carried his double burden across the little flat and through the belly-deep flood of Nameless whispering on its riffle. On the other side Nance and Sonny turned to wave a hand and went forward into a new life. * * * * * At the cabin door Bud stared with open mouth when they rode up, but Mrs. Allison, who had been watching them come along the flat far down, and who had vaguely understood, came forward with uplifted arms. “I figgered it wouldn’t be so long before you brought him home,” she said, “a child is what we do need in this here cabin. What a fine little man! An’ supper’s all hot an’ waitin’.” “I knew you’d understand, Mammy,” said the girl gratefully, “you’ve got the seventh sense, all right, and one or two more. No wonder our Pappy loved you all his life.”