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"Colter--tell ht Come over heah," he replied, and drew her away froloo arainst him Ellen felt it, yet did not offer any resistance All her faculties seemed absorbed in a morbid and sad anticipation

"Ellen, y'u shore know I always loved y'u--now don't y 'u?" he asked, with suppressed breath

"No, Colter It's news to me--an' not what I want to heah"

"Wal, y'u ht now," he said "It's true An' what's ave y'u to me before he died"

"What! Colter, y'u must be a liar"

"Ellen, I swear I'er passion "I ith your dad last an' heard him last He shore knew I'd loved y'u for years An' he said he'd rather y'u be left in ave e!" ejaculated Ellen, in bewilderment

Colter's ready assurance did not carry him over this point It was evident that her words somewhat surprised and disconcerted him for the mo!" exclaied to Daggs's gang, sa his cool ardor

"No!" cried Ellen

"Yes, he shore did, for years," declared Colter, positively "Back in Texas An' it was your dad that got Daggs to co herself away But her strength and her spirit were ebbing, and Colter increased the pressure of his arm All at once she sank liht with or for

"All right--don't hold ht," she panted "Now tell me how dad was killedan' ho--"

Colter bent over so he could peer into her face In the darkness Ellen just caught the gleam of his eyes She felt the virile force of the man in the strain of his body as he pressed her close It all seeloom, the moan of the wind, the weird solitude, and this rustler with hand and will like cold steel

"We'd coan "An' as Greaves was daid we all got free with his liquor Shore soot drunk Bruce was drunk, an' Tad in there--he was drunk Your dad put away more 'n I ever seen hiot one of them weak an' shaky spells He cried an' he wanted sohtin' He shore was ready to call it quits I reckon the killin' of Daggs--an' then the aay Greaves was cut up by Jean Isbel--took all the fight out of your dad He said to me, 'Colter, we'll take Ellen an' leave this heah country--an' begin life all over again--where no one knows us'"