The instant the name left her lips she regretted it.

But too late! The cowboy halted, slowly turned.
Then Columbine walked swiftly up to him, suddenly as brave as she had been fearful.

Sight of him had changed her.
"Wilson Moore, you meant to avoid me," she said, with reproach.
"Howdy, Columbine!" he drawled, ignoring her words.
"Oh, I was so sorry you were hurt!" she burst out.

"And now I'm so glad--you're--you're ...

Wilson, you're thin and pale--you've suffered!" "It pulled me down a bit," he replied.
Columbine had never before seen his face anything except bronzed and lean and healthy, but now it bore testimony to pain and strain and patient endurance.