CHAPTER I. IT was James Deed s wedding morning, and the town knew it. Deed himself was so full of the knowledge of it, that his face would break from time to time, without his will, into a fond and incommunicable smile of happiness as he rode alone toward Maverick on his horse. His eye measured the crisp and sparkling Colorado morning and he took the sun upon his large, wholesome, likeable face, with the pleasant feeling that its shining was for him. The agreeable world seemed to have him in thought, and to be minded to do the handsome thing by his wedding-day. And the evil things the blizzards and sand-storms, and the winds that will be howling at all hours in Colorado, shunned the face of this thrice blessed day. The cattle pony which Deed was riding had got the news of the kindling morning air, though he lacked word of the that he also knew what it was wedding but it was enough to be happy. Deed patted his flank affectionately, as they swung into town together and he was of a mind to give good morrow to the herd that came to the barbed wire fence to observe his happiness with impassive eyes. It was too early to see Margaret but when he had waked at the ranchhouse on his cattle range, where he had spent the past few days, he had found it impossible to remain quietly within doors, and since he must ride it was the nearest thing to seeing her to ride in her direction. The curtains were still down at the windows of the house where Margaret had been staying with Beatrice Vertner for a month. The Vertners occupied the largest dwelling in Maverick, except the brick house which Snell had built since he had made his strike at Aspen its architecture was in the journeyman-carpenter Queen Anne manner common to Western towns which have reached their second stage. The pony, accustomed to stopping, swerved in toward the gate, and Deed was obliged to restrain him, unwillingly. There was no one in sight tomind that he should kisshishand to a certain curtain in the second story but he was obliged to content himself with this. He gave the pony the rein, and went swinging into Maverick by way of Mesa Street...