But Columbine had trouble in feeding him. What with his helplessness, and his propensity to watch her face instead of her hands, and her own mounting sensations of a sweet, natural joy and fitness in her proximity to him, she was hard put to it to show some dexterity as a nurse. And all the time she was aware of Wade, with his quiet, forceful presence, hovering near. Could he not see her hands trembling? And would he not think that weakness strange? Then driftingly came the thought that she would not shrink from Wade's reading her mind. Perhaps even now he understood her better than she understood herself. "I can't--eat any more," declared Moore, at last. "You've done very well for an invalid," observed Columbine. Then, changing the subject, she asked, "Wilson, you're going to stay here--winter here, dad would call it?" "Yes." "Are those your cattle down in the valley?" "Sure. I've got near a hundred head. I saved my money and bought cattle." "That's a good start for you. I'm glad. But who's going to take care of you and your stock until you can work again?" "Why, my friend there, Heaven-Sent Wade," replied Moore, indicating the little man busy with the utensils on the table, and apparently hearing nothing. "Can I fetch you anything to eat--or read?" she inquired. "Fetch yourself," he replied, softly. "But, boy, how could I fetch you anything without fetching myself?" "Sure, that's right. Then fetch me some jam and a book--to-morrow. Will you?" "I surely will." "That's a promise. I know your promises of old." "Then good-by till to-morrow. I must go. I hope you'll be better." "I'll stay sick in bed till you stop coming." Columbine left rather precipitously, and when she got outdoors it seemed that the hills had never been so softly, dreamily gray, nor their loneliness so sweet, nor the sky so richly and deeply blue. As she untied Pronto the hunter came out with Kane at his heels. "Miss Collie, if you'll go easy I'll ketch my horse an' ride down with you," he said. She mounted, and walked Pronto out to the trail, and slowly faced the gradual descent. It was really higher up there than she had surmised. And the view was beautiful. The gray, rolling foothills, so exquisitely colored at that hour, and the black-fringed ranges, one above the other, and the distant peaks, sunset-flushed across the purple, all rose open and clear to her sight, so wildly and splendidly expressive of the Colorado she loved. At the foot of the slope Wade joined her. "Lass, I'm askin' you not to tell Belllounds that I'm carin' for Wils," he said, in his gentle, persuasive way. "I won't. But why not tell dad? He wouldn't mind. He'd do that sort of thing himself." "Reckon he would. But this deal's out of the ordinary. An' Wils's not in as good shape as he thinks. I'm not takin' any chances. I don't want to lose my job, an' I don't want to be hindered from attendin' to this boy."