Taking pity on Johnny, Molly ended his misery by breaking the spell which held him. “I thought you were going to strike that old man,” she said half seriously. “I’d like to know what you are doing down here.” “Business,” Johnny answered dryly. “Well, the Diamond-Bar is shipping from Standing Rock, isn’t it?” Molly’s eyes held his provokingly. “It is,” Johnny drawled nervously. “But you’re not. Is that what you are trying to say, Mr. Dice?” Johnny nodded his head ever so slightly. The smile left Molly’s eyes. “Father and you again, Johnny?” she asked anxiously. “Just me this time, I guess. No matter. I got my pay. But let’s talk of somethin’ pleasant, if there is any such.” The girl’s gayety did not return so easily. “I just can’t be pleasant by request, that way, Johnny,” she said honestly. “I want to talk to you about this before I start for home.” “When you leavin’ here?” “Not before morning.” This suited Mr. Dice. “You rode in, didn’t yuh?” he questioned. Molly grinned in spite of herself. “Folks to home all worried about you,” the boy went on. “Your daddy tearin’ hair and cursin’. I figured you was down here, and I looked for you at the hotel.” “Don’t you tell me what you thought when you found I wasn’t there. Of course I wouldn’t go to a hotel. The Langwell girls would never forgive me if I did. Don’t tell me _you_ were worried.” “That would be kinda hard for me, wouldn’t it?” Johnny drawled. Molly laughed outright at this. “Next to injured feelings, there’s nothing like self-pity to make a person miserable, is there, Johnny? Now you tell me, is father out looking for me?” “Certainly is. You’d better send a telegram over to Argenta. Hughie High will be down there tonight for the mail.” “Of course. I don’t understand what brought father back from the Rock so quickly. Was it anything to do with you?” And now Johnny lied. “I’d hate to think so,” he told her. Shrewd Molly was not more than half convinced of this. “And the business that brought you here?” she inquired. Apparently, a violent itching of the Dice scalp followed, but the girl insisted upon an answer. “Er—private business,” Johnny said lamely; but to Molly it carried an air of mystery. “Well, you meet me at the hotel about two. I wish father had stayed at the Rock another day.” Johnny turned back to Dan’s place, but the old man had slipped out. So, left to himself, the boy promptly began to worry over Molly’s farewell words. It was plain enough that she had hoped to make her hurried trip without her father knowing of it. But what reason could she have for that? The question stayed with Mr. Dice. The girl was nervous. He could tell that. Coming to Winnemucca had always been something of a lark. Well, he had failed to find any spirit of vacation about her today. A blunt question or two would follow this afternoon!