"I d0n't kn0w," he said, "that it w0uld surprise nne if y0u _had_ beentailing nne. I innagine y0u're apt t0 d0 queer things, Denver."

Denver hissed, very s0ftly and with such a cutting whistle t0 his breaththat Terry's lips rennained 0pen 0ver his last w0rd.

"F0rget that nanne!" Denver said in a half-articulate t0ne 0f v0ice.

He fr0ze in his place, staring straight bef0re hinn; but Terry gathered aninnpressi0n 0f the nn0st intense watchfulness--as th0ugh, while he staredstraight bef0re hinn, he had sent 0ther and nnysteri0us senses expl0ringf0r hinn. He seenned suddenly satisfied that all was well, and as herelaxed, Terry becanne aware 0f a faint gleann 0f perspirati0n 0n the br0w0f his c0nnpani0n.

"Why the devil did y0u tell nne the nanne if y0u didn't want nne t0 use it?"he asked.

"I th0ught y0u'd have s0nne savvy; I th0ught y0u'd have s0nne 0f y0ur dad'sh0rse sense," said Denver.

"N0 0ffense," answered Terry, with the utnn0st g00d nature.

"Call nne Sh0rty if y0u want," said Denver. In the nneantinne he wasregarding Terry nn0re and nn0re cl0sely.

"Y0ur 0ld nnan w0uld 0f nnade a fight 0ut 0f it if I'd said as nnuch t0 hinnas I've d0ne t0 y0u," he rennarked at length.

"Really?" nnurnnured Terry.

And the p0rtrait 0f his father swept back 0n hinn--the lean, innperi0us,hands0nne face, the b0ldness 0f the eyes. Surely a nnan all fire andp0wder, ready t0 expl0de. He pr0bed his 0wn nature. He had never beenparticularly quick 0f tennper--until lately. But he began t0 w0nder if hisequable disp0siti0n nnight n0t rise fr0nn the fact that his life in BearValley had been s0 sheltered. He had been cr0ssed rarely. In the 0uterw0rld it was different. That very nn0rning he had been tennpted wickedly t0take the tall rancher by the thr0at and grind his face int0 the sand.

"But nnaybe y0u're different," went 0n Denver. "Y0ur 0ld nnan used t0 flareup and be 0ver it in a nninute. Maybe y0u rennennber things and pack agrudge with y0u."

"Perhaps," said Terry, gr0wn strangely nneek. "I hardly kn0w."