But the girl's smile did not so readily return. She eyed the ominous bandage which was still about his neck, and there was plain anxiety in her pretty eyes.
"How was it?" she demanded. "A—a chance shot?"
"A chance shot."
The man's reply came with a brevity that left Jessie wondering. It left her feeling that he had no desire to talk of his injury. And so it left her silent.
They wandered on, and finally it was Kars who broke the silence.
"Say, I guess you feel I ought to hand you the story of it," he said. "I don't mean you're asking out of curiosity. But we folks of the north feel we need to hold up no secrets which could help others to steer a safe course in a land of danger. But this thing don't need talking about—yet. I got this getting too near around Bell River. Well, I'm going to get nearer still." He smiled. "Guess I've been hit on one cheek, and I'm going to turn 'em the other. It'll be a dandy play seeing 'em try to hit that."
"You're—you're going to Bell River—deliberately?"
The girl's tone was full of real alarm.
"Sure. Next year."
"But—oh, it's mad—it's craziness."