Astounded, each gazed into the face of the other for a moment. “You didn’t hear him?” ventured Letty. “Maybe he was hid in the brush.” “The shanty was pretty good-sized--lookin’ at it from the outside,” returned the doctor. “Inside, the room was awful small. If that man comes after me again----” “Don’t go out alone with him,” she pleaded. “Let somebody trail you.” He shook his head. “He’d find it out and shoot. No, I’ve got to take the chance. Oh, Letty, if I could only bring that little woman her kid!” Letty’s dark eyes were misty. “You couldn’t telephone her, could you?” she asked. He shook his head. “So far, everything’s guesswork. I dassent raise her hopes on that. It’s awful when a person’s hopes’re raised--and then go smash. I’ve got to find out where I was. There’s a scheme I heard of once----” “Is it scattering beans?” “No.” He laughed and reached across the kitchen table to cover a slim hand with one of his. “No”--more soberly--“it’s something different--it’s about Bobby. You’d have to let me take care of him for a few days and treat him real bad. I won’t tell you what I’d do to him, then it won’t fret you.” “Take Bobby,” she urged. “But oh, don’t have any trouble out there with that man!” And she grew white and clung to his hand as she had never done before. He stayed only long enough to reassure her, and went when the sun shone against the kitchen window. He had been twenty-four hours without sleep. It was an anxious day for Letty. The doctor spent it in work after he had had his rest, and at six o’clock opened his medicine-case to put into it one or two things that had been lacking the previous night. When sundown came and the long, grateful twilight, he paid a visit to Bobby. Then he lighted the lamp in his office and sat down to wait. Dark brought the looked-for summons. The front gate squeaked on its hinges. Heavy steps sounded along the narrow boardwalk leading up to the porch. Next, following a short pause, came a knock. The doctor opened the door. The man with the scar was in waiting. He kept out of range of the light that fell through the door, but the doctor could see that the face of his visitor was again half hidden by a handkerchief and that the slouch hat was worn low to shadow it. “My friend’s suffering awful,” he said by way of greeting. “All over the place, Doc. I felt almost like putting him out of his misery.” At once the doctor went for Bobby. An eager whinny hailed the opening of the stable door. But when the little horse was led out of his stall he hung back and all but refused to leave it. “You’ll have some supper out yonder,” promised his rider, and tied a generous feed of oats to the thongs of the big stock saddle. A slender figure came swiftly across the corral. It was Letty, and she lifted her face to the doctor’s in mute anxiety. He whispered encouragement and bent to kiss her, then rode out to join his waiting guide.