hand. "I think this is Mr. Shannon; Miss Ryder told me your name. I
have to thank you for some recent kindness to her."

I shook her hand very cordially, saying that nothing I could do for
Miss Ryder would be amiss. "As it happens," I went on, "I can do
something for you now. Will you come with me?"

For one fleeting moment her woman's hesitation held her, and then her
woman's curiosity prevailed. "With pleasure," she said.

As we started for the door the woman interfered. "I wouldn't go with
him," she declared with some bluntness. "You don't have to go and you
sha'n't. You don't know what he's up to."

This failed to have the effect I feared it would. "Don't you suppose I
can take care of myself, mother?"

"I know what I know," replied the woman, sullenly, "and it wouldn't
take much to make me tell it."

"Then, for heaven's sake, say what you have to say and be done with
it," I exclaimed. "Only a very few minutes lie between this person and
safety. If you have anything to tell out with it."

"Your blue eyes and baby face fooled me once, but they'll not fool me
again. You know more than you pretend to know," said the woman.

"I know this: if this person remains here ten minutes longer he will
regret it all the days of his life. Now, trust me or not, just as you
please. If he is afraid to come with me let him say so, and I will bid
him farewell forever and all who are connected with him. Do you trust
me?" I turned to Jane Ryder and held out my hand.

"I do," she replied. She came nearer, but did not take my hand.

"Then, in God's name, come with me!" I cried. She obeyed my gesture and
started for the door.

"Where are you going?" wailed the mother. "Tell me--tell me!"

I was sorry for her, but I made her no answer.

I anticipated this scene as little as I did the fact that Jane Ryder
would come with me. I was prepared to carry her off if she refused, but
I was ill prepared for the rumpus that this quiet-looking woman kicked
up. She followed us to the door and stood wailing while I tried to
persuade Jane Ryder to mount my horse. She hesitated, but I fairly
lifted her into the saddle. The stirrup-straps were too short, but that
made no difference. I sprang on the horse behind her, and, reaching
forward, seized the reins and turned the horse's head in a direction
that would bring us into the town by a detour, so that we should miss
the Independents, who would follow the road that I had followed in
coming.