to come with me, did I? Go down to
the horse ranch and ask dad to help you out of the park. Then, when
you're safe with your friends, you can set the officers on him. Tell
them he is a criminal--just as you told me."

Her biting tongue made him wince. "If I told you that I'm sorry. I
had no right. You've saved my life. Do you think it likely I would
betray your people after that?"

"How do I know what a spy would do? Thank God, I can't put myself in
the place of such people," she answered disdainfully.

He smiled ruefully. She was unjust, of course. But that did not
matter. Roy knew that she was wrought up by what he had told her.
Pride and shame and hatred and distrust spoke in her sharp words. Was
it not natural that a high-spirited girl should resent such a charge
against her people and should flame out against the man who had wounded
her? Even though she disapproved of what they had done, she would fly
to their defense when attacked.

From the dark gash of the ravine they came at last to the opening where
Meldrum lived.

The young woman turned to Beaudry. "Give me your revolver belt."

He hesitated. "What are you going to do?"

Plainly she would have liked to rebuff him, but just now he had the
whip hand. Her sullen answer came slowly.

"I'm going to tell my brother that father needs him. When he has gone,
I'll see what I can do."

"And what am I to do while you are inside?"

"Whatever you like." She held out her hand for his belt.

Not at all willingly he unbuckled it. "You'll be careful," he urged.
"Meldrum is a bad man. Don't try any tricks with him."

"He knows better than to touch a hair of my head," she assured him with
proud carelessness. Then, "Hide in those trees," she ordered.

Ned Rutherford answered her knock on the door of the _jacal_. At sight
of her he exclaimed:--

"What are you doing here, Boots? At this time of night? Anything
wrong?"

"Dad needs you, Ned. It seems there is trouble about that young man
Street. Jess Tighe has sworn to kill him and dad won't have it.
There's trouble in the air. You're to come straight home."

"Why didn't he send Jeff?"

"He needed him. You're to keep on down through the canon to the mouth.
Jess has the mouth of the arroyo guarded to head off Street."

"But--what's broke? Why should Tighe be so keen on bumping off this
pink-ear when dad says no?"

"They've found out who he is. It seems Street is an _alias_. He is