She pushed him away and yielded to a sudden pricking of her conscience, speaking swiftly, as if forcing herself to do a disagreeable duty, and hating herself at the moment. "Johnny, I ’ve been a—a flirt! When I saw you were beginning to care too much for me I should have stopped it; but I did n’t. I amused myself—but I want you to believe one thing, to give me a little credit for just one thing; I never thought what it might mean to you. It was carelessness with me. But I was flirting, just the same—and it hurts to admit it. I ’m not good enough for you, Johnny Nelson; it’s hard to say, but it’s true. Can you, _will_ you forgive me?" He choked and stepped forward holding out his hands imploringly, but she eluded him. When he saw the shame in her face, the tears in her eyes, he stopped and laughed gently: "But we can begin right, now, can’t we? I don’t care, not if you ’ll let me see you same as ever. You might get to care for me. And, anyhow, it ain’t yore fault. I reckon it’s me that’s to blame." At that moment he was nearer to victory than he had ever been; but he did not realize it and opportunity died when he failed to press his advantage. "I _am_ to blame," she said, so low he could hardly catch the words. When she continued it was with a rush: "I am not free—I haven’t been for a week. I ’m not free any more—and I ’ve been leading you on!" His face hardened, for now the meaning of Greener’s sneering laugh came to him, and a seething rage swept over him against the man who had won. He knew Greener, knew him well—the meanness of the man’s nature, his cold cruelty; the many things to the man’s discredit loomed up large against the frailty of the woman before him. Norah stepped forward and laid a pleading hand on his arm, for she knew the mettle of the men who worked under Buck Peters: "What are you thinking? Tell me!" "Why, I ’m thinking what Nolan said. An’, Norah, listen. You say you want me to forgive you? Well, I do, if there’s anything to forgive. But I want you to primise me that if Greener don’t treat you right you ’ll tell me." "What do you mean?" "Only what I said. Do you promise?" "Perhaps you would better speak to him about it!" she retorted. "I will—an’ plain. But don’t worry ’bout me. It was my fault for bein’ a tenderfoot. I never played this game before, an’ don’t know th’ cards. Good-by." He rode away slowly, and made the rounds, and by the time he reached Lacey’s he was so unsteady that he was refused a drink and told to go home. But he headed for the Palace instead, and when he stepped high over the doorsill Nolan was seated in a chair tipped back against one of the side walls, and behind the bar on the other side of the room Jed Terry drummed on the counter and expressed his views on local matters. The sheriff was listening in a bored way until he saw Johnny enter and head his way, feet high and chest out; and at that moment Nolan’s interest in local affairs flashed up brightly.