old man's home. What do you take me for,
anyway?'

'Aw, come on,' grinned Barbee. 'You're joshing. If it's jazz you
want----'

'Look here,' said Howard impatiently. 'I'm just asking a question, and
I'll get out of your way. Where did they go?'

'Who?' asked Barbee.

'The Longstreets.'

'Dunno,' Barbee shrugged. Then, as an afterthought, 'Sanchia Murray
could tell you; she's been sticking tight to them. She's got a tent up
yonder, back of the Courtot House on the edge of town.'

Howard hurried on. The lunch counter girl, following him with critical
eyes, demanded for him or anyone else to hear:

'Who's your bean-pole friend, Kid?'

But the answer Howard did not hear. He swung out to the side to be
free of the town and galloped on to Sanchia's tent, which he found
readily. Sanchia herself was in front of it, just preparing to saddle
her white mare.

'Hello, Al,' she greeted him carelessly, though her eyes narrowed at
him speculatively.

'Where have the Longstreets gone?' he asked without preliminary.

'Back in the hills, Bear Valley way,' she replied, still scrutinizing
him. She marked the look of relief in his eyes and laughed cynically
and withal a trifle bitterly. 'On the Red Hill trail. Going to see
them?'

'Yes.' He reined away, and then added stiffly, 'Thank you.'

'Wait a minute,' she called to him. 'I'm just going up there myself.
You might saddle for me, and I'll ride with you.'

He paused and looked her sternly and steadily in the eyes. His voice
was cold and his words were outspoken.

'I had rather ride alone, and you know it. Further, after the way you
have tricked that man, I'd think you'd draw off and leave them alone.
You can't do a thing like that twice.'

For an instant the look in her eyes was baffling. Then there shot
through the inscrutability of it a sudden gleam of malice that was like
a spurt of flame. It was the fire which before now Howard's attitude
had kindled there.

'What you men see in that little fool, I don't know!' she cried hotly.
'What has she that I haven't? I could have made you the biggest man in
the country; I would have given everything and held nothing back. I am
even honest enough to say so, and I am not afraid to say so. And you
are stupid like every other man. Oh, I am done with the crowd of you!'
she broke out violently, half hysterically. 'Laugh at me, will you?
Turn your back on me, will you?' She paused and panted out the word