"His guide? What caliber was his rifle?" shrewdly queried the cowman. "Why, I--really I cannot remember," answered Ashton. "I know it was of a larger bore than mine, but that is all." "Um-m," considered Knowles. "Looks rather like he's the man. Can't think of anyone else. Trouble is, if he was laying in wait for you, his horse would be fresh. Must have covered a right smart bit of territory by now." "I'll go out and take a look at his tracks," said Gowan, rising with a readiness that brought a nod of approval from his employer. "You'll be careful, Kid," cautioned the girl, with a shade of concern in her tone. "He'll keep his eye open, Chuckie," reassured her father. "It's the other fellow wants to be careful, if he hasn't already vamoosed. Hey, Kid?" "I'll get him, if I get the chance," laconically replied Gowan, looking from the girl to Ashton with the characteristic straightening of his lips that marked the tensing of his emotions. As he left the room Miss Isobel smiled and nodded to Ashton. "You see how friendly he is, in spite of his cold manner to strangers. I thought he had taken a dislike to you, yet you saw how readily he offered to go out after your assailant." "More likely it's because he thinks it would discredit us to let such a scoundrel get away," differed her father. "However, he'll leave you alone, Mr. Ashton, if you stay with us as a guest, and will only haze you a bit, if you insist upon joining our force." "You mean, working for you? I must insist on that," said Ashton, with an eager look at the girl. "If only I can do well enough to be employed right along!" The cowman grunted, and winked solemnly at his daughter. "Yes, I can understand your feeling that way. How about the winter, though? You mayn't like it over here so well then." Ashton flushed and laughed at the older man's shrewdness; hesitated, and confessed candidly: "No, I should prefer Denver in winter." Miss Isobel blushed in adorable payment of his compliment, but thrust back at him: "We bar cowboys in the Sacred Thirty-six." He winced. Her stroke had pierced into his raw wound. "Oh!--oh!" she breathlessly exclaimed. "I didn't mean to--Oh, I'm so sorry!" He dashed the tears from his eyes. "No, you--don't apologize! It's only that I'm--Please don't fancy I'm a baby! You see, when a fellow has always lived high--on top, you know--and then to have everything go out from under him without warning!" "Keep a stiff upper lip, son," advised Knowles. "You'll pull through all right. It isn't everyone in your fix that would be asking for work." Ashton laughed a trifle unsteadily. "It's very kind of you to say that, Mr. Knowles. I--I wish a steady position, winter as well as summer." "How about Denver?" asked Knowles. "That can wait," replied Ashton. He met the girl's smile of approval, and rallied fully. "Yes, that can wait--and so can I."