do you make that out?" he asked quickly.

"You asked me to take in this barbecue when you tried to get me to line
up with you at the Mountain House."

Van Horn took alarm: "That was put up to you in confidence," he said
angrily.

"So was the barbecue," responded Laramie. "I wouldn't take in the
first proposition, so I'm enjoying the second." He turned from Van
Horn, and, ignoring him, spoke to Kate: "You remember you said you were
going to show me your ponies."

It was Kate's turn to stare: "You must be mistaken."

He did not press the subject: "Perhaps you've forgotten," was all he
said.

"When or where did I ever say that?" Kate asked, resenting the
intimation.

He looked down, then looking up his eyes rested on Kate's. He was not
disturbed: "Is that a challenge?" he asked.

"If you wish to make it one," she returned coolly.

"The 'where' was one day at Sleepy Cat Junction, the 'when' was the day
we rode up the Falling Wall river."

"Oh," she exclaimed, collecting herself, "I had forgotten."

"Do you remember now?" he asked; and she thought there was resentment
in the question. "If you don't," he added, "we'll let it go."

"Why, I suppose I must have said something like that. Anyway," she
added, "we'll go see them to make sure I've kept a promise. Come, Mr.
Van Horn," she suggested, turning sweetly to him, "don't you want to
see the ponies?" To include Van Horn, it was plain to be seen, would
spoil the trip for Laramie, but she cared little for that. "Wait just
a minute," she continued, "I must tell John Frying Pan before I go to
give the Indians something to eat."

The feeling between the two men she left together flared up at once:
"Does this mean you're going to hitch up with the cattlemen, after
all?" demanded Van Horn.

Laramie, who had lighted his cigarette, stood looking after Kate: "I
hitch up with nobody."

"Then don't spend your time hanging around Kate Doubleday."

"So that's where the shoe pinches?" Laramie threw away his cigarette
as he spoke. "I've taken a good deal from you, Van Horn."

Van Horn egged him on unabashed: "You've got your nerve with you to
show up here at all."

"A man needs his nerve, Van Horn, to do business with crooks like you."

Doubleday, passing near the two men at that moment, heard the last
exchange. He called out in his heavy, raspy voice to Van Horn: "Look
here, Harry." Laramie walked away and Doubleday took Van Horn in hand:
"You messed up