"Mr. Blake is to start running his levels in the morning," said Knowles. "Lafe, I'd like you to help him as his rodman, if you have no objections. As you've been an engineer, you can help him along faster than Kid.--You said one would do, Mr. Blake; but if you need more, take all the men you want. The sooner this thing is settled, the better it will suit me." "The sooner the better, Daddy!" agreed Isobel, "that is, if our guests promise to not hurry away." "We shall stay at least a month, if you wish us to," said Mrs. Blake. "Two months would be too short!--And the sooner we are over with this uncertainty--Lafe, you'll do your utmost to help Mr. Blake, won't you?" "Yes, indeed; anything I can," eagerly responded Ashton. Gowan's face darkened at sight of the smile with which the girl rewarded the tenderfoot. Yet instead of sulking, he joined in the evening's entertainment of the guests with a zeal that agreeably surprised everyone. His guitar playing won genuine praise from the Blakes, though both were sophisticated and critical music lovers. Somewhat earlier than usual he rose to go, with the excuse that he wished to consult Knowles about some business with the owner of the adjoining range. The cowman went out with him, and did not return. An hour later Ashton took reluctant leave of Isobel, and started for the bunkhouse. Half way across he was met by his employer, who stopped before him. "Everybody turning in, Lafe?" "Not at my suggestion, though," replied Ashton. "Reckon not. Mr. Blake and his lady are old friends of yours, I take it." "Mrs. Blake is," stated Ashton, with a touch of his former arrogance. "We made mud-pies together, in a hundred thousand dollar dooryard." "Humph!" grunted Knowles. "And her husband?" The darkness hid Ashton's face, but his voice betrayed the sudden upwelling of his bitterness: "I never heard of him until he--until a little over three years ago. I wish to Heaven he hadn't taken part in that bridge contest!" "How's that?" asked Knowles in a casual tone. "Nothing--nothing!" Ashton hastened to disclaim. "You haven't been talking with Miss Chuckie about me, have you, Mr. Knowles?" "No. Why?" "It was only that I explained to her how I came to be ruined--to lose my fortune. You see, the circumstances are such that I cannot very well say anything against Blake; yet he was the cause--it was owing to something he did that I lost all--everything--millions! Curse him!" "You've appeared friendly enough towards him," remarked Knowles. "Yes, I--I promised Miss Chuckie to try to forget the past. But when I think of what I lost, all because of him--" "So-o!" considered the cowman. "Maybe there's more in what Kid says than I thought. He's been cross-questioning Blake all day. You know how little Kid is given to gab. But from the time we started off he kept after Blake like he was cutting out steers at the round-up." "Blake isn't the kind you could get to tell anything against himself," asserted Ashton.