All earthly journeys and joys have an ending. The buckboard creaked up over the round of the last and highest hill, and they came in sight of the little shack town down across the broad valley. Though five miles away, every house, every telegraph pole, even the thin lines of the railroad rails appeared through the dry clear air as distinct as a miniature painting. Miles beyond, on the far side of the valley, uprose the huge bulk of Split Peak, with its white-mantled shoulders and craggy twin peaks. But neither Ashton nor Isobel exclaimed on this magnificent view of valley and peak. Each fell silent and gazed soberly down at the dozen scattered shacks that marked the end of their outward trip. Rapidly the gravity of Ashton's face deepened to gloom and from gloom to dejection. The horses would have broken into a lope on the down grade. He held them to a walk. Chancing to gaze about and see his face, the girl started from her bright-eyed daydream. "Why, Lafe! what is it?" she inquired. "You look as you did the other day, when you brought the mail." "It's--everything!" he muttered. "As what?" she queried. He shrugged hopelessly, hesitated, and drew out the roll of bills forced on him by Knowles. "Tell me, please, just how much of this is mine, at your father's usual rate of wages, and deducting the real value of that calf." "Why, I can't just say, offhand," she replied. "But why should you--" "I shall tell you as soon as--but first--" He drew out his watch. "This cost me two hundred and fifty dollars. It is the only thing I have worth trading. Would you take it in exchange for Rocket and the balance of this hundred dollars over and above what is due me?" "Why--no, of course, I wouldn't think of such a thing. It would be absurd, cheating yourself that way. Anyhow, Rocket is your horse to ride, as long as you wish to." "But I would like him for my own. How about trading him for my pony and the wages due me?" "Well, that wouldn't be an unfair bargain. Your hawss is the best cow pony of the two." "It is very kind of you to agree, Miss Chuckie! Here is all the money; and here is the watch. I wish you to accept it from me as a--memento." "Mr. Ashton!" she exclaimed, indignantly widening the space between them as much as the seat would permit. "Please!" he begged. "Don't you understand? I am going away." "Going away?" she echoed. "Yes." "But--why?" "Because he is coming." "Mr. Blake?" "Yes. I cannot stay after he--" "But why not? Has he injured you? Are you afraid of him?" "No. I'm afraid that you--" Ashton's voice sank to a whisper--"that you will believe what he--what they will say against me." "Oh!" she commented, her expression shifting swiftly from sympathetic concern to doubt. He caught the change in her look and tone, and flushed darkly. "There are sometimes two sides to a story," he muttered. "Tell me your side now," she suggested, with her usual directness.