You will remain away a fortnight at my expense, and pass in the meanwhile for me.

Then you will return at night as rancher Winston, and keep the whole thing a secret from everybody." Winston sat silent and very still again for more than a minute.

He surmised that the man who made the offer had not told him all and there was more behind, but that was, after all, of no great importance.

He was prepared to do a good deal for one hundred dollars, and his bare life of effort and self-denial had grown almost unendurable.

He had now nothing to lose, and while some impulse urged him to the venture, he felt that it was possible fate had in store for him something better than he had known in the past.