But before all this came to pass some details had to be arranged in the lives of certain young people of the country. In one instance, at least, Lee Snaith appointed herself adjuster in behalf of Cupid.
Goodheart reached town a few hours earlier than his chief. Lee met him just before supper in front of the court-house.
"Where's Billie?" she asked with characteristic directness.
"He's on his way back. A wounded man couldn't be moved an' he had to stay with him a while. The man was Joe Yankie. A messenger just got in to say he died."
"Billie isn't wounded?"
"No. Not his fault, though. When we had the rustlers cornered, he crawled in through the brush to their camp. Fool business, I told him. Never saw anything gamer. Lucky for him Albeen had made his get-away."
The eyes of the girl thanked the deputy for this indirect praise. Little patches of red burned in her dusky cheeks. The way to make a life friend of her was to be fond of Billie.
Lee changed the subject abruptly. "Jack, you haven't half the sense I thought you had."
"Much obliged," he answered sardonically. She was looking straight at him and he knew what was in her mind.
"If I was a man—and if the nicest girl in the world was in love with me—I'd try not to be as stiff as a poker."