"How do you know she loves me?"
"Because—because—" Lee stopped. She did not intend to betray any confidences. "I know it. That's enough."
He threw away impulsively the prudent pride that he had been nourishing.
"Where can I find Polly?"
"You're being invited to supper at my aunt's this evening. I'll not be home for half an hour, but if you go right up, maybe you can find some one to entertain you."
He buried her little hand in his big paw and strode away. She watched him, a soft tenderness shining in her eyes. Lee was a lover herself, and she wanted everybody in the world to be as happy as she was.
Two horsemen rode down the street toward her. She looked up. One of them was Billie Prince, the other Jim Clanton.
The younger man gave a shout of gay greeting. "Yip-ee yippy yip." He leaned from the cowpony and gave her his gloved hand. "I've brought him back to you. He sure did make a good clean-up. I'm the only bad man left in Washington County."
She met his impudent little smile with friendly eyes. "Dad Wrayburn's back from Santa Fe with the pardon, Jim. I'm so glad."
"I'm some glad myself. Do you want me to shut my eyes whilst you an'
Billie—"
The sheriff knocked the rest of the sentence out of him with a vigorous thump on the back.