uise before she had become aware of his presence.
She appeared to be more decently clad, a circumstance that greatly
added to her charm, in his opinion. Curiously he studied her. Women
represented more to Pan than to most men he had had opportunity to meet
or observe. He never forgot that they belonged to the same sex as his
mother. So it was natural he had compassion for this unsexed
dance-hall, gambling-lure girl. She was pretty in a wild sort of way,
dissolute, abandoned, yet not in any sense weak. A terrible havoc
showed in her face for anyone with eyes to see beneath the surface.
Pan noted a strange restlessness in her that at first he imagined was
the seeking instinct of women of her class. But it was only that she
could not sit or stand still. Her hawklike eyes did not miss anyone
there, and finally they located him. She came around the tables up to
Pan, and took hold of his arm.

"Howdy, Handsome," she said, smiling up at him.

Pan doffed his sombrero and bade her good evening.

"Don't do that," she said. "It irritates me."

"But, Louise, I can't break a habit just to please you," he replied
smiling.

"You could stay out of here. Didn't I warn you not to come back?

"Yes, but I thought you were only fooling. Besides I _had_ to come."

"Why? You don't fit here. You've got too clean a look."

Pan gazed down at her, feeling in her words and presence something that
prompted him to more than kindliness and good nature.

"Louise, I can return the compliment. You don't fit here."

"_Damn you!_" she flashed. "I'll fall in love with you."

"Well, if you did, I'd sure drag you out of this hell," replied Pan,
bluntly.

"Come away from these gamblers," she demanded, and drew him from behind
the circle to seats at an empty table. "I won't ask you to drink or
dance. But I'm curious. I've been hearing about you."

"That so? Who told you?"

"I overheard Dick Hardman tonight, just before supper. He has a room
next to mine in the hotel here, when he stays in town. He was telling
his father about you. Such cussing I never heard. I'm giving you a
hunch. They'll do away with you."

"Thanks. Reckon it's pretty fine of you to put me on my guard."

"I only meant behind your back.--What has Dick against you?"

"We were kids together back in Texas. Just natural rivals and enemies.
But I hadn't seen him for years till last night. Then he didn't know
me."

"He knows you now all right. He r