The centre of the whole plot, if there was a plot, must be Hawley.
"Yes," she replied, "he said that this was one of the stations of a big ranch on which Fred was employed, and that he would certainly be here within a day or two." "You met Hawley on the stage coach?
How did you become acquainted ?" "We were alone for nearly fifty miles," her voice faltering slightly, "and--and he called me what you did." "Christie Maclaire ?" "Yes; he--he seemed to think he knew me, and I needed help so much that I let him believe so.

I thought it could do no harm, and then, when I found he actually knew Fred, I didn't think of anything else, only how fortunate I was to thus meet him.

Surely something serious must have happened, or he would have been here before this.

Do you--do you suppose there is anything wrong ?" Keith did not smile nor change posture.

The more he delved into the matter, the more serious he felt the situation to be.