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he snapped； without looking round。
〃NO； WE ALLOWED THEY WOULDN'T BE NEEDED。〃
At sound of the slow drawl the outlaw wheeled like a flash； his hand
traveling to the hilt of the revolver that hung on his hip。 But he was too
late。 Already two revolvers covered him； and he knew that both his cousin
and McWilliams were dead shots。 He flashed one venomous look at the
mistress of the ranch。
〃Y'u fooled me again。 That lamp business was a signal； and I was too
thick…haided to see it。 My compliments to y'u； Miss Messiter。〃
〃Y'u are under arrest；〃 announced his cousin。
〃Y'u don't say。〃 His voice was full of sarcastic admiration。 〃And you
done it with your little gun！ My； what a wonder y'u are！〃
〃Take your hand from the butt of that gun。 Y'u better relieve him of it；
Mac。 He's got such a restless disposition he might commit suicide by
reaching for it。〃
〃What do y'u think you're going to do with me now y'u have got me；
Cousin Ned？〃
〃We're going to turn y'u over to the United States Government。〃
〃Guess again。 I have a thing； or two to say to that。〃
〃You're going to Gimlet Butte with us； alive or dead。〃
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The outlaw intentionally misunderstood。 〃If I've got to take y'u； then
we'll say y'u go dead rather than alive。〃
〃He was going to take Nora and me with him；〃 Helen explained to her
friends。
Instantly the man swung round on her。 〃But now I've changed my
mind； ma'am。 I'm going to take my cousin with me instead of y'u ladies。〃
Helen caught his meaning first； and flashed it whitely to her lover。 It
dawned on him more slowly。
〃I see y'u remember； Miss Messiter；〃 he continued； with a cruel； silken
laugh。 〃He gave me his parole to go with me whenever I said the word。 I'm
saying it now。〃 He sat down astride a chair； put his chin on the back cross…
bar； and grinned malevolently from one to another。
〃What's come over this happy family？ It don't look so joyous all of a
sudden。 Y'u don't need to worry； ma'am； I'll send him back to y'u all right
alive or dead。 With his shield or on it； y'u know。 Ha！ ha！〃
〃You will not go with him？〃 It was wrung from Helen as a low cry；
and struck her lover's heart。
〃I must；〃 he answered。 〃I gave him my word； y'u remember。〃
〃But why keep it？ You know what he is； how absolutely devoid of
honor。〃
〃That is not quite the question； is it？〃 he smiled。
〃Would he keep his word to you？〃
〃Not if a lie would do as well。 But that isn't the point； either。〃
〃It's quixoticfoolishworse than thatridiculous；〃 she implored。
〃Perhaps； but the fact remains that I am pledged。〃
〃'I could not love thee； dear； so much Loved I not honor more；'〃
murmured the villain in the chair； apparently to the ceiling。 〃Dear Ned；
he always was the soul of honor。 I'll have those lines carved on his
tombstone。〃
〃You see！ He is already bragging that he means to kill you；〃 said the
girl。
〃I shall go armed；〃 the sheepman answered。
〃Yes； but he will take you into the mountain fastnesses； where the men
that serve him will do his bidding。 What is one man among so many？〃
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〃Two men； ma'am；〃 corrected the foreman。
〃What's that？〃 The outlaw broke off the snatch of opera he was singing
to slew his head round at McWilliams。
〃I said two。 Any objections； seh？〃
〃Yes。 That wasn't in the contract。〃
〃We're giving y'u surplusage； that's all。 Y'u wanted one of us； and y'u
get two。 We don't charge anything for the extra weight；〃 grinned Mac。
〃Oh； Mac； will you go with him？〃 cried Helen； with shining eyes。
〃Those are my present intentions； Miss Helen；〃 laughed her foreman。
Whereat Nora emerged from the background and flung herself on him。
〃Y'u can't go； Jim！ I won't have you go！〃 she cried。
The young man blushed a beautiful pink； and accepted gladly this
overt evidence of a reconciliation。 〃It's all right； honey。 Don't y'u think two
big； grown…up men are good to handle that scalawag？ Sho！ Don't y'u
worry。〃
〃Miss Nora can come； too； if she likes；〃 suggested he of the Shoshones。
〃Looks like we would have quite a party。 Won't y'u join us； too； Miss
Messiter； according to the original plan？〃 he said； extending an ironical
invitation。
〃I think we had better cut it down to me alone。 We'll not burden your
hospitality； sir；〃 said the sheepman。
〃No； sir； I'm in on this。 Whyfor can't I go？〃 demanded Jim。
Bannister； the outlaw； eyed him unpleasantly。 〃Y'u certainly can so far
as I am concerned。 I owe y'u one； too； Mr。 McWilliams。 Only if y'u come
of your own free will； as y'u are surely welcome to do； don't holler if y'u're
not so welcome to leave whenever y'u take a notion。〃
〃I'll try and look out for that。 It's settled； then； that we ride together。
When do y'u want to start？〃
〃We can't go any sooner than right now。 I hate to take these young men
from y'u； lady。 but； as I said； I'll send them back in good shape。 Adios；
senorita。 Don't forget to whom y'u belong。〃 He swaggered to the door and
turned； leaning against the jamb with one hand again it。 〃I expect y'u can
say those lovey…dov good…byes without my help。 I'm going into the yard。
If y'u want to y'u can plug me in the back through the window；〃 he
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suggested； with a sneer。
〃As y'u would us under similar circumstances；〃 retorted his cousin。
〃Be with y'u in five minutes；〃 said the foreman。
〃Don't hurry。 It's a long good…bye y'u're saying；〃 returned his enemy
placidly。
Nora and the young man who belonged to her followed him from the
room； leaving Bannister and his hostess alone。
〃Shall I ever see you again？〃 Helen murmured。
〃I think so；〃 the sheepman answered。 〃The truth is that this opportunity
falls pat。 Jim and have been wanting to meet those men who are under my
cousin's influence and have a talk with them。 There is no question but that
the gang is disintegrating； and I believe that if we offer to mediate between
its members and the Government something might be done to stop the
outrages that have been terrorizing this country。 My cousin can't be
reached； but I believe the rest of them； or； at least a part； can be induced
either to surrender or to flee the country。 Anyhow； we want to try it。〃
〃But the danger？〃 she breathed。
〃Is less than y'u think。 Their leader has not anywhere nearly the
absolute power he had a few months ago。 They would hardly dare do
violence to a peace envoy。〃
〃Your cousin would。 I don't believe he has any scruples。〃
〃We shall keep an eye on him。 Both of us will not sleep at the same
time。 Y'u may depend on me to bring your foreman safely back to y'u；〃 he
smiled。
〃Oh； my foreman！〃
〃And your foreman's friend；〃 he added。 〃I have the best of reasons for
wanting to return alive。 I think y'u know them。 They have to do with y'u；
Miss Helen。〃
It had come at last； but； womanlike； she evaded the issue her heart had
sought。 〃Yes； I know。 You think it would not be fair to throw away your
life in this foolish manner after I have saved it for youhow many times
was it you said？〃 The blue eyes lifted with deceptive frankness to the gray
ones。
〃No； that isn't my reason。 I have a better one than that。 I love y'u； girl；
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more than anything in this world。〃
〃And so you try to prove it to me by running into a trap set for you to
take your life。 That's a selfish kind of love； isn't it？ Or it would be if I
loved you。〃
〃Do y'u love me； Helen？〃
〃Why should I tell you； since you don't love me enough to give up this
quixotic madness？〃
〃Don't y'u see； dear； I can't give it up？〃
〃I see you won't。 You care more for your pride than for me。〃
〃No； it isn't that。 I've got to go。 It isn't that I want to leave y'u； God
knows。 But I've given my word； and I must keep it。 Do y'u want me to be a
quitter； and y'u so game yourself？ Do y'u