o you want me to do--stick up my
hands? So far, they haven't been up--if I remember right. But I
expect I'll have to learn sometime how to surrender."

"I want no surrender, no parley with you. The doctor told me his house
was empty and directed me here for the dressings. When I come, I find
you. I'll get away at once. Before I go----"

"No, I'll go. But let me turn on the light." He stepped to the door
and pressed the button. "I wanted," he continued, as a light flooded
the queer room, "to have just one look at you before I go." She stood
before him quite unafraid. Her eyes flashed as if she were actually
mistress of the situation instead of really helpless in the presence of
her father's most resourceful enemy.

Laramie half-smiled at her serenity: "Why don't you go?" she exclaimed.

Still regarding her, he shifted his position a little and replied with
entire good-nature: "I only live along, from one sight to another of
you. I'm just filling up, like a man at a spring. You don't object to
my only looking at you for a minute?"

"I object to being delayed and annoyed," she declared in a blaze.
"I've come here for dressings needed for wounded men----"

"Well, so have I, if you must have it."

"I was sent here by Doctor Carpy for things he wants tonight; you have
no more right here helping yourself to his property than you have
taking other people's."

"Don't say I take other people's property!" Laramie spoke fiercely.
"Don't call me a thief." His words burned with anger. "My hands may
not be as white as yours--they're just as clean!"

Stunned as she might well have been at the outburst, Kate stood her
ground: "Did Doctor Carpy give you permission to come here tonight?"
She shot the words at Laramie without giving him time to breathe.

Laramie checked the flood of anger he had loosed: "I don't need
permission from Doctor Carpy to come here night or day. Ask him if you
want to," he said with scornful disgust. He sank down on the chair at
his side in complete resentment of the whole situation and, leaning
forward with a hand spread over one knee and one fist clenched on the
other, he stared not at Kate's eyes, but at the floor, with only her
trim boots in his field of vision. "What's the use?" he exclaimed,
drawing the words up seemingly all the way from his own disorderly and
alkali-stained foot coverings. "What's the use?" he repeated, in
stronger and more savage tones. "I've treated her fr