Part 20 (1/2)

But if he did not worry, Betty certainly did in the days that followed

She had drea about in the shadows There would be a report, two reports, and he would topple over backwards to lie crumpled up and motionless No wonder that she became pale and lost her appetite and made her mother worry even in the midst of the exciteold

One night after dinner Allen asked her to ride with hiood just to talk to her Betty agreed, and they cantered off in the twilight, their bodies swaying to the rhyth ti the rapid motion, the sweet scented air that fanned their faces, the beauty of the hazy mountains in the distance Then, suddenly Allen spoke

”Betty,” he said, swinging round toward her, ”you aren't letting this thing get on your nerves, are you?”

”Wh-what do you old business--the exciteh to take in the whole landscape ”I've noticed you looked tired lately,” he went on gently, ”and I've worried about it, little Betty I--I have almost dared to hope,” he leaned toward her, but Betty was looking the other way, ”that you were a little anxious about me Were you?”

”Why--I--yes--no--why--I don't know,” cried Betty wildly, then, h ”You shouldn't ask questions like that, not so suddenly, anyway,” she said priot ain Betty found it a little hard to look at hiently ”There isn't any danger--really I' to win Went to see Levine to-day, representing your rim ”He made me feel, or at least he tried to make me feel, that he had as much respect for my ability as he would for a little speck of dirt”

”The very idea!” cried Betty indignantly ”I'd just like to tell him what I think of--your ability----” she faltered on these last words, for Allen was gazing at her with a ht in his eyes

Suddenly she whirled nigger's head about and urged hied ”Winner gets the other fellow's piece of cake”

”Who cares for cake!” cried Allen, but it ht have been noticed that he followed her just the same

CHAPTER XVIII

IN THE SHADOWS

Allen was acting in two capacities at this time--that of lawyer and that of private detective He probably would not have taken this role for anybody but Betty and her fa to do pretty nearly anything

So he had taken to scouting around the northern end of the ranch after dark, in the hope that hethat would help hiold on the ranch and, also, that Peter Levine and his cronies, whoever they were, knew of it

However, as the days passed, bringing no new developan to think that he had let his ian to for Peter Levine into telling what he knew

And then--just when he was beginning to despair of being any help at all to Betty and her family--fate or luck, or whatever one wishes to call it, chose to s around when quite unexpectedly he found himself confronted by Andy Rawlinson He had struck up quite a liking for the head cowboy, and the talked along together

Gradually they neared a patch of timber near the northern boundary of the ranch The cowboy said he was looking for two calves that had strayed away

”And it ain't no use to follow 'em into the woods on hossback,” he explained