“I wouldn’t ’a’ shot if I’d knowed y’u was so near him. Y’u was behind that summer kitchen,” he explained lamely. “You only expect to obey orders when I’m in sight. Is that it?” she asked hotly, and without waiting for an answer delivered her ultimatum. “Well, I won’t have it. I run this ranch as long as I am its owner. Do you understand?” “Yes, ma’am. I hadn’t ought to have did it, but when I seen Bannister it come over me I owed him a pill for the one he sent me last week down in the coulée. So I up and grabbed the rifle and let him have it.” “Then you may up and grab your trunk for Medicine Hill. Shorty will drive you tomorrow.” When she returned to her unexpected guest, Helen found him in conversation with McWilliams. The latter’s gun had found again its holster, but his brown, graceful hand hovered close to its butt. “Seems like a long time since the Lazy D has been honored by a visit from Mr. Bannister,” he was saying, with gentle irony. “That’s right. So I have come to make up for lost time,” came Bannister’s quiet retort. Miss Messiter did not know much about Wyoming human nature in the raw, but she had learned enough to be sure that the soft courtesy of these two youths covered a stark courage that might leap to life any moment. Wherefore she interposed. “We’ll be pleased to show you over the place, Mr. Bannister. As it happens, we are close to the hospital. Shall we begin there?” Her cool, silken defiance earned a smile from the visitor. “All your cases doing well, ma’am?” “It’s very kind of you to ask. I suppose you take an interest because they are _your_ cases, too, in a way of speaking?” “Mine? Indeed!” “Yes. If it were not for you I’m afraid our hospital would be empty.” “It must be right pleasant to be nursed by Miss Messiter. I reckon the boys are grateful to me for scattering my lead so promiscuous.” “I heard one say he would like to lam your haid tenderly,” murmured McWilliams. “With a two-by-four, I suppose,” laughed Bannister. “Shouldn’t wonder. But, looking y’u over casual, it occurs to me he might get sick of his job befo’ he turned y’u loose,” McWilliams admitted, with a glance of admiration at the clean power showing in the other’s supple lines. Nor could either the foreman or his mistress deny the tribute of their respect to the bravado of this scamp who sat so jauntily his seat regardless of what the next moment might bring forth. Three wounded men were about the place, all presumably quite willing to get a clean shot at him in the open. One of them had taken his chance already, and missed. Their visitor had no warrant for knowing that a second might not any instant try his luck with better success. Yet he looked every inch the man on horseback, no whit disturbed, not the least conscious of any danger. Tall, spare, broad shouldered, this berry-brown young man, crowned with close-cropped curls, sat at the gates of the enemy very much at his insolent ease.