queen. They have erred, yes; but in what a cause! I trust that, whatever you may decide to do, you will not deal with them harshly."
Nor, in the end, did she. She got their names from Embry, called up Hurley and had the man who appeared to be their leader, Johnnie Thorp, sent immediately to the ranch house, where she interviewed him in her office. Thorp, overcome by the elegance into which he came for the first time in a life of the rough conveniences of camp, shifted and blushed and choked over his words and altogether put in a memorably uncomfortable fifteen minutes. But, having already talked with Joe Embry, his report was in all essentials like Embry's, and in the end he left his employer with a secret grin in his eyes. He had been both reprimanded and thanked. And in the future he was to be a shade less impetuous and arduous in the service of the young lady upon whom he was supposed to look with peasant adoration. On his way down the graded road he took from his overalls a twenty-dollar gold piece, glanced at it brightly with one eye, the other being closed in a wink, and told himself that, even as matters stood, it was easy money and Embry was a good scout. Besides, there would be another chance at Bill Steele; Joe Embry had predicted, then promised as much.
"An' besides that," muttered Thorp to himself, "easy money always was lucky money with me; I'll double this tonight at Truitt's. See if I don't."
The second reminder of Bill Steele came to Beatrice a few days later; not that it was needed now, for she
