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effectively stopped the discovery of any clue to his friends or his
identity。 As it was evidently an ACCIDENT； which； in that rude
communityand even in some more civilized onesconveyed a vague
impression of some contributary incapacity on the part of the
victim； or some Providential interference of a retributive
character； Burnt Ridge gave itself little trouble about it。 It is
unnecessary to say that Mr。 and Mrs。 Forsyth gave themselves and
Josephine much more。 They had a theory and a grievance。 Satisfied
from the first that the alleged victim was a drunken tramp； who
submitted to have a hole bored in his head in order to foist
himself upon the ranch； they were loud in their protests； even
hinting at a conspiracy between Josephine and the stranger to
supplant her brother in the property； as he had already in the
spare bedroom。 〃Didn't all that yer happen THE VERY NIGHT she
pretended to go for Stepheneh？〃 said Mrs。 Forsyth。 〃Tell me
that！ And didn't she have it all arranged with the buggy to bring
him here； as that sneaking doctor let outeh？ Looks mighty
curious； don't it？〃 she muttered darkly to the old man。 But
although that gentleman； even from his own selfish view； would
scarcely have submitted to a surgical operation and later idiocy as
the price of insuring comfortable dependency； he had no doubt
others were base enough to do it； and lent a willing ear to his
wife's suspicions。
Josephine's personal knowledge of the stranger went little further。
Doctor Duchesne had confessed to her his professional disappointment
at the incomplete results of the operation。 He had saved the man's
life； but as yet not his reason。 There was still hope； however； for
the diagnosis revealed nothing that might prejudice a favorable
progress。 It was a most interesting case。 He would watch it
carefully； and as soon as the patient could be removed would take
him to the county hospital； where； under his own eyes； the poor
fellow would have the benefit of the latest science and the highest
specialists。 Physically； he was doing remarkably well； indeed； he
must have been a fine young chap； free from blood taint or vicious
complication； whose flesh had healed like an infant's。 It should be
recorded that it was at this juncture that Mrs。 Forsyth first learnt
that a SILVER PLATE let into the artful stranger's skull was an
adjunct of the healing process！ Convinced that this infamous
extravagance was part and parcel of the conspiracy； and was only
the beginning of other assimilations of the Forsyths' metallic
substance； that the plate was probably polished and burnished with a
fulsome inscription to the doctor's skill； and would pass into the
possession and adornment of a perfect stranger； her rage knew no
bounds。 He or his friends ought to be made to pay for it or work it
out！ In vain it was declared that a few dollars were all that was
found in the man's pocket； and that no memoranda gave any indication
of his name； friends； or history beyond the suggestion that he came
from a distance。 This was clearly a part of the conspiracy！ Even
Josephine's practical good sense was obliged to take note of this
singular absence of all record regarding him； and the apparent
obliteration of everything that might be responsible for his
ultimate fate。
Homeless； friendless； helpless； and even nameless； the unfortunate
man of twenty…five was thus left to the tender mercies of the
mistress of Burnt Ridge Ranch； as if he had been a new…born
foundling laid at her door。 But this mere claim of weakness was
not all； it was supplemented by a singular personal appeal to
Josephine's nature。 From the time that he turned his head towards
her voice on that fateful night； his eyes had always followed her
around the room with a wondering； yearning； canine half…
intelligence。 Without being able to convince herself that he
understood her better than his regular attendant furnished by the
doctor； she could not fail to see that he obeyed her implicitly；
and that whenever any difficulty arose between him and his nurse
she was always appealed to。 Her pride in this proof of her
practical sovereignty WAS flattered； and when Doctor Duchesne
finally admitted that although the patient was now physically able
to be removed to the hospital； yet he would lose in the change that
very strong factor which Josephine had become in his mental
recovery； the young girl as frankly suggested that he should stay
as long as there was any hope of restoring his reason。 Doctor
Duchesne was delighted。 With all his enthusiasm for science； he
had a professional distrust of some of its disciples； and perhaps
was not sorry to keep this most interesting case in his own hands。
To him her suggestion was only a womanly kindness； tempered with
womanly curiosity。 But the astonishment and stupefaction of her
parents at this evident corroboration of suspicions they had as yet
only half believed was tinged with superstitious dread。 Had she
fallen in love with this helpless stranger？ or； more awful to
contemplate； was he really no stranger； but a surreptitious lover
thus strategically brought under her roof？ For once they refrained
from open criticism。 The very magnitude of their suspicions left
them dumb。
It was thus that the virgin Chatelaine of Burnt Ridge Ranch was
left to gaze untrammeled upon her pale and handsome guest； whose
silken； bearded lips and sad； childlike eyes might have suggested a
more Exalted Sufferer in their absence of any suggestion of a
grosser material manhood。 But even this imaginative appeal did not
enter into her feelings。 She felt for her good…looking； helpless
patient a profound and honest pity。 I do not know whether she had
ever heard that 〃pity was akin to love。〃 She would probably have
resented that utterly untenable and atrocious commonplace。 There
was no suggestion； real or illusive； of any previous masterful
quality in the man which might have made his present dependent
condition picturesque by contrast。 He had come to her handicapped
by an unromantic accident and a practical want of energy and
intellect。 He would have to touch her interest anew if； indeed； he
would ever succeed in dispelling the old impression。 His beauty；
in a community of picturesquely handsome men； had little weight
with her； except to accent the contrast with their fuller manhood。
Her life had given her no illusions in regard to the other sex。
She had found them； however； more congenial and safer companions
than women； and more accessible to her own sense of justice and
honor。 In return； they had respected and admired rather than
loved her； in spite of her womanly graces。 If she had at times
contemplated eventual marriage； it was only as a possible practical
partnership in her business； but as she lived in a country where
men thought it dishonorable and a proof of incompetency to rise by
their wives' superior fortune； she had been free from that kind of
mercenary persecution； even from men who might have worshiped her
in hopeless and silent honor。
For this reason； there was nothing in the situation that suggested
a single compromising speculation in the minds of the neighbors； or
disturbed her own tranquillity。 There seemed to be nothing in the
future except a possible relief to her curiosity。 Some day the
unfortunate man's reason would be restored； and he would tell his
simple history。 Perhaps he might explain what was in his mind when
he turned to her the first evening with that singular sentence
which had often recurred strangely to her； she knew not why。 It
did not strike her until later that it was because it had been the
solitary indication of an energy and capacity that seemed unlike
him。 Nevertheless； after that explanation； she would have been
quite willing to have shaken hands with him and parted。
And yetfor there was an unexpressed remainder in her thought
she was never entirely free or uninfluenced in his presence。 The
flickering vacancy of his sad eyes sometimes became fixed with a
resolute immobility under the gentle questioning with which she had
sought to draw out his faculties； that both piqued and exasperated
her。 He could say 〃Yes〃 and 〃No；〃 as she thought intelligently；
but he could not utter a coherent sentence nor write a word； except
like a child in imitation of his copy。 She taught him to repeat
after her the names of the inanimate objects in the room； then the
names of the doctor； his attendant； the servant； and； finally； her
own under her Christian prenomen； with frontier familiarity； but
when she pointed to himself he waited for HER to name him！ In vain
she tried him with all the masculine names she knew； his was not
one of them； or he would not or could not speak it。 For at times
she rejected the professional dictum of the doctor that the faculty
of memory was wholly paralyzed or held in abeyance； even to the
half…automatic r