“Forgive her!” she cried. “She doesn’t mean to be rude! She is so very nervous, and this afternoon has been too much for her. It was a man’s act, a brave man’s act! And one which I will always cherish, for I will never forget this day, never, never!” she reiterated earnestly. “I don’t care what they say about you, not a bit! I don’t believe it, for you could not have done what you have if you are as they paint you. I will not wait for our driver to tell my brother about your splendid act–he, at least, shall know you as you are, and some day he will return it, too.”
Then she looked from him to her hand: “Will you not shake hands with me? Show me that you are not angry. Are you fair to me to class me as an enemy, just because my brother is the sheriff?”
He looked at her in wonderment and his face softened as he took the hand.
“Thank you,” he said simply. “You are kind, and fair. I do not think of you as an enemy.”
“Helen! Are you coming?” came from the coach.
He smiled at the words and then laughed bitterly, recklessly, his shoulders unconsciously squaring. There was no malice in his face, only a quizzical, baffling cynicism.
“Oh, it’s a shame!” she cried, her eyes growing moist. She made a gesture of helplessness and looked him full in the eyes. “Whatever you have done in the past, you will give them no cause to say such things in the future, will you? You will leave it all behind you and get work, and not be an outlaw any more, won’t you? You will prove my faith in you, for I have faith in you, won’t you? It will all be forgotten,” she added, as if her words made it so. Then she leaned forward to readjust the bandage. “There, now it’s all right–you must not touch it again like that.”
“You are alone in your faith,” he replied bitterly, not daring to look at her.
“Oh, I reckon not,” muttered Bill, scowling at the stage as if he would like to unhitch and leave it there. Then seeing The Orphan glance at the horse which was grazing contentedly, he went out to capture the animal. “D––d old hen, that’s what she is!” he muttered fiercely. “I don’t care if she is the sheriff’s sister, that’s just what she is! Just a regular ingrowing disposition!”
“You are kind, as kind as you are beautiful,” The Orphan responded simply. “But you don’t know.”