and--and cherish as long as you both live. She hasn't done a
thing wrong by you since you said--an' meant that. She hasn't done a
thing wrong anyway."

The denial was so gentle yet so decided. Had there been heat in it it
must have been ineffective. As it was Jeff stared incredulously and
speechless, and the girl went on:

"You think I'm wrong," she said. "Maybe you think I'm crazy, same as I
guess this thing's made you feel." She shook her head. "I'm
not--sure. Take us here. Maybe I'm chasing around through the hills.
Chance runs me plumb into the camp of these rustlers who're cutting
into your profits on the Obar. I come right in and hand you the story.
You and Bud round up a bunch of boys and I take you to where the camp's
hidden. You hold 'em up, and you hang them. Well, I guess the
pleasantest moment of that racket for you would be to get back to home
and hand me a bunch of dollars. Say, I can see you doing it. I can
see your smile. I can hear you sayin': 'Take 'em, little Nan, an' buy
yourself some swell fixing.' And say, Jeff, I wouldn't have done a
thing less than your Evie's done. That's how I'd say now, acting as
you are, you aren't the 'Honest Jeff' I've always known. You're not
fair to Evie, you aren't just--before God."

The man made a gesture of fierce impatience. He seemed on the verge of
a furious outburst. But the steady light of Nan's eyes was upon him.
For some moments he gazed into their sweet depths, and their courage,
their steadfastness, seemed to abash him. He flung out his arms in a
helpless gesture of appeal.

"Nan, Nan!" he cried, in a voice of hopelessness. "I can't argue it.
I just can't. I can't see things right. I sure nearly am crazed. The
only thing I can see is the blood of poor Ronny on her--her hands. The
hands I've held in mine. The hands I've kissed. Oh, was there ever so
foul----"

"Yes, Jeff, there was. There is."

Nan's voice was low but thrilling with deep feeling. She moved forward
from her place at the table with a little rush. The rustle of her
skirts only ceased as she fell upon her knees at the man's side, and
her warm brown hands clasped themselves upon the strong arm propped
upon his knee.

"It's a far, far fouler thing, this thing you've got fixed in your mind
to do. Oh, Jeff, dear, if I could speak the things as I feel them.
But I can't. It's all inside me mussed up and maybe foolish. But, oh,
I know I'm right I want to tell yo