I would feel much happier if I were sure you had disregarded it." Fairchild looked at her for a long time, studying her with his serious, blue eyes, wondering about many things, wishing that he knew more of women and their ways.

At last he said the thing that he felt, the straightforward outburst of a straightforward man: "You 're not going to be offended if I tell you something ?" "Certainly not." "The sheriff came along just after you had made the turn.

He was looking for an auto bandit." "A what ?" She stared at him with wide-open, almost laughing eyes.
"But you don't believe--" "He was looking for a man," said Fairchild quietly.

"I--I told him that I had n't seen anything but--a boy.

I was willing to do that then--because I could n't believe that a girl like you would--" Then he stumbled and halted.