bounds. "I never in my life heard of anything so
insolent. Never! _You'll_ not let me do this or that. Who are you, Brill
Healy?"

"I've told you. I'm the man that means to marry you," he persisted
doggedly.

"You never will. I'm not thinking of marrying, but when I do I'll not
ask for your indorsement. Be sure of that."

"I'll not stand it! He'd better look out!"

"Who do you mean?"

"Keller, that's who I mean. This thing is hanging over his head yet.
He's got to come through with proofs he ain't a rustler, or he's got to
pull his freight out of the Malpais country."

"And if he won't?"

"We'll finish that little business you interrupted," he told her, riding
his triumph roughshod over her feelings.

"You wouldn't, Brill! Not when there is a doubt about it. Jim says he is
innocent, and I believe he is. Surely you wouldn't!"

"You'll see."

"If you do I'll never speak to you again! Never, as long as I live; and
I'll never rest till I have you in the penitentiary for his murder!" she
cried tensely.

"And yet you don't care anything about him. You've just been kind to him
out of charity," he mocked.

For some minutes they had seen Seven Mile Ranch lying below them in the
faint twilight. They rode the rest of the way in silence, each of them
too bitter for speech. When they reached the house, she swung from the
saddle and he kept his seat, for both of them considered her supper
invitation and his acceptance cancelled.

He bowed ironically and turned to leave.

"Just a moment, Brill," called an excited voice. "I've got a piece of
news that will make you sit up."

The speaker was the young mule skinner known as Cuffs. He came running
out to the porch and fired his bolt.

"The First National Bank at Noches was held up two hours ago, and the
robbers got away with their loot after shooting three or four men!"

"Two hours ago," the girl repeated. "You got it over the phone, of
course."

"Yep. Slim called me up just now. He got back right this minute from
following their trail. They lost the fellows in the hills. Four of 'em,
Slim says, and he thinks they're headed this way."

"What makes him think so?" asked Healy.

"He figures they are Bear Creek men. One of them was recognized. It was
that fellow Keller."

"Keller!" Phyllis and Healy cried the word together.

Cuffs nodded. "Slim says he can swear to his hawss, and he's plumb sure
about the man, too. He wants we should organize a posse and nail the