are sorry that you killed him, I am not; but you are
entirely free."

The group at the edge of the fire circle dissolved. Jenks came and seated
himself upon his hams, beside us.

"Wall, how you feelin' now?" he questioned of me.

"I'm myself again," said I.

"Your arm won't trouble you. Jest a flesh wound. There's nothin' better
than axle grease. And you, ma'am?"

"Perfectly well, thank you."

"You're the coolest of the lot, and no mistake," he praised admiringly.
"Wall, there'll be no more fracas to-night. Anyhow, the boys'll be on
guard ag'in it; they're out now. You two can eat and rest a bit, whilst
gettin' good and ready; and if you set out 'fore moon-up you can easy get
cl'ar, with what help we give you. We'll furnish mounts, grub, anything
you need. I'll make shift without Frank."

"Mounts!" I blurted, with a start that waked my arm to throbbing. "'Set
out,' you say? Why? And where?"

"Anywhar. The stage road south'ard is your best bet. You didn't think to
stay, did you? Not after that--after you'd plugged a Mormon, the son of
the old man, besides! We reckoned you two had it arranged, by this time."

"No! Never!" I protested. "You're crazy, man. I've never dreamed of any
such thing; nor Mrs. Montoyo, either. You mean that I--we--should run
away? I'll not leave the train and neither shall she, until the proper
time. Or do I understand that you disown us; turn your backs upon us;
deliver us over?"

"Hold on," Jenks bade. "You're barkin' up the wrong tree. 'Tain't a
question of disownin' you. Hell, we'd fight for you and proud to do it,
for you're white. But I tell you, you've killed one o' that party ahead,
you've killed the wagon boss's son; and Hyrum, he's consider'ble of a man
himself. He stands well up, in the church. But lettin' that alone, he's
captain of this train, he's got a dozen and more men back of him; and when
he comes in the mornin' demandin' of you for trial by his Mormons, what
can we do? Might fight him off; yes. Not forever, though. He's nearest to
the water, sech as it is, and our casks are half empty, critters dry. We
sha'n't surrender you; if we break with him we break ourselves and likely
lose our scalps into the bargain. Why, we hadn't any idee but that you and
her were all primed to light out, with our help. For if you stay you won't
be safe anywhere betwixt here and Salt Lake; and over in Utah they'll
vigilant you, shore as kingdom. As for you, ma'am," he bluntly addressed,
"w