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to give me the full story?”
    Jillian nodded. “I suppose that would be best.”
    â€œYes, I think it probably would be,” Mac said, crossing his arms.
    â€œWell, you see, Judith was in love with a young man we’ve known most of our lives. She planned an elopement with him but knew if she didn’t come back to work for Mr. Harvey, she’d have to pay back half the wages she’d already earned. She couldn’t do that because she’d already given her fiancethe money, and there was no possibility of our father giving her the money as he had never approved of her taking up employment in the first place and would certainly never approve of her choice in husbands.”
    â€œSo she convinced her twin sister to come to Pintan in her stead,” Mac stated thoughtfully. Then he totally surprised Jillian by bursting into laughter. “That Judith! What a gal!”
    Jillian didn’t know whether to be relieved or jealous. He said it with such obvious admiration for her sister that Jillian couldn’t help but feel a little envious.
    â€œI realize I tried to deceive you as I have the others, but please 41 understand . . .”
    â€œOh, I understand. I mean, Judith was involved, so it couldn’t just be a simple matter. Nothing Judith ever did was simple.”
    â€œDo you always call women by their first names?” Jillian asked suddenly. It struck her as very strange that this man had insisted she call him Mac, while he constantly called her sister by her given name.
    â€œI don’t always,” Mac replied, “but your sister was special. She just seemed so at ease with the world. She insisted everyone call her by her first name. She hated it when Miss Carson would get all formal in front of the train passengers. She thought it complete nonsense. If it makes you uneasy, rest assured I won’t call you by your given name unless you grant me permission to do so.”
    â€œWell, you won’t really have to worry about it, I suppose,” Jillian replied.
    â€œAnd why would that be?” He leaned forward and his black hair fell across his forehead in a way that made Jillian want to reach up and push it back into place.
    â€œBecause now that I’m found out, Miss Carson will no doubt demand I return to Kansas City.”
    â€œMiss Carson would only do that if she found out about your little deception.”
    Jillian eyed him very seriously. “What are you saying?”
    â€œI’m saying that I think this will be great fun. What do you say we just be good friends and keep this between us? If you’re anything like your sister, I know we’ll get along just fine.”
    He was serious, Jillian realized. He was laughing and enjoying the situation, and he was willing to let her go on posing as Judith.
    â€œDo you mean it? Truly?”
    He laughed again. “I don’t see that it will harm anyone. After all, I know Miss Carson doesn’t have any girls to spare. So if anything, it’ll only be helpful.”
    Jillian breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Dr. MacCallister. I can’t tell you what this means to me.”
    â€œMac,” he said, reaching out to help her to her feet. “Call me Mac.”
    Jillian warmed to his smile and nodded. “Very well, and you may call me Jillian.”
    â€œI’d probably better call you Judith,” he said, then gave her a wink. “Oh, and I’d keep that arm covered with a bandage if I were you. You go to changing clothes in front of anyone and they’ll know right off that you’re not Judith. That burn she had was pretty intense.”
    â€œBut she was all right, wasn’t she? I mean, I never knew in the whole of her visit that she was wounded,” Jillian said, suddenly very concerned for her sister.
    â€œOh, Judith will get by just fine. She could sell sand in the desert. Your sister is quite a card. She’ll always land on her feet. Here,