eady a tone as possible,
"you'll find the light button to the right of the door behind you."

He was prepared for a scream or a swoon. Instead, the flashlight was
turned directly on him: "Who are you?" came sharply and quickly from
behind it.

"I might ask the same question. You can see I'm Jim Laramie. I can
guess you're Kate Doubleday."

"I am, and I've come here for dressings for wounded men at Pettigrew's.
What are you doing here?" she demanded, peremptorily.

His lips were sealed for more reasons than one. Least of all would it
do for him to expose Doctor Carpy's friendliness and embroil him in a
feud which Laramie knew he ought to face alone.

Kate held the light excitedly on him. It was an instant before he had
his answer in hand: "I've lied to a good many people at different times
about different things," he said deliberately. "I've still got my
first lie to tell to you, Kate. And I certainly won't tell it tonight.
Don't ask me what I'm doing here. Turn on the light by the door, or
let me do it, so I can see you. You here alone?"

"No, there are plenty of men outside with me," she exclaimed abruptly.

"I shouldn't have asked that question," he continued in the same tone.
"I know you're alone. You say 'men' because you're afraid of me----"

"I'm not the least afraid of you. And don't deceive yourself. There
are men here."

"But they are mostly in bottles, Kate--and in pieces. Live men don't
ride up to a place like this without making a noise. Flat Nose George
is the only man here besides me, outside the alcohol, and I can claim
him as well as you can."

"I'm sure you would feel perfectly at home with Flat Nose George," she
retorted swiftly.

If the words stung, Laramie kept his temper. "Probably there's a good
deal I deserve that you haven't heard about me," he said slowly. "But
from the way you talk, you've heard a few things maybe I don't deserve.
Nobody's got any right to class me with Flat Nose George or anybody
else in Carpy's museum."

"You've classed yourself with him," she exclaimed vehemently.
"Defending cattle thieves and harboring them! Everyone knows that!"

"I did talk rough to your father this morning. I was pretty angry.
Just the same, don't believe everything you hear about me. At present,
it's just us two. What do you want to do, surrender to me?"

"No!" she snapped the word out furiously. "I won't, not if you kill
me."

"Suppose I surrender to you? What d