"Not much--but enough. Frankly, I think Cheyenne will kill Sears if he happens to meet him again."
"And that will furnish the climax for your story!" said Dorothy scornfully.
"Well, if it has to happen--" Bartley paused.
Dorothy's face was troubled. Finally she rose and picked up her gloves and hat.
"I wish some one or something would stop him," she said slowly. "He liked you. All the years he has been riding up and down the country he has ridden alone, until he met you. I'm sorry you didn't go with him."
"He did pretend that he was disappointed when I told him I was going to stay in San Andreas for a while."
"You thought he was joking, but he wasn't. We have all tried to get him to settle down; but he would not listen. If I were a man--"
"Then you think I could have influenced him?" queried Bartley.
"You might have tried, at least."
"Well, he's gone. And I'll have to make the best of it--and also find another heroine," said Bartley lightly, trying to make her smile.