e the maddening pain of the descending quirts and cruel spurs.
It was a scene to set the blood racing through the veins, viewed in any
light; and not until the yells of the men had grown indistinct, and all
that could be heard was the ever-decreasing sound of rushing hoofs, did
the outlaw turn back into the saloon over which there hung a silence
which, by contrast, he found strangely depressing.

VIII.

There was a subtle change, an obvious lack of warmth in Johnson's
manner, which the Girl was quick to feel upon returning to the now
practically deserted saloon.

"Don't it feel funny here--kind o' creepy?" She gave the words a
peculiar emphasis, which made Johnson flash a quick, inquisitorial look
at her; and then, no comment being forthcoming, she went on to explain:
"I s'pose though that's 'cause I don't remember seein' the bar so empty
before."

A somewhat awkward silence followed, which at length was broken by the
Girl, who ordered:

"Lights out now! Put out the candle here, too, Nick!" But while the
little barkeeper proceeded to carry out her instructions she turned to
Johnson with an eager, frank expression on her face, and said: "Oh, you
ain't goin', are you?"

"No--not yet--no--" stammered Johnson, half-surprisedly,
half-wonderingly.

The Girl's face wore a pleased look as she answered:

"Oh, I'm so glad o' that!"

Another embarrassing silence followed. At last Nick made a movement
towards the window, saying:

"I'm goin' to put the shutters up."

"So early? What?" The Girl looked her surprise.

"Well, you see, the boys are out huntin' Ramerrez, and there's too much
money here . . ." said Nick in a low tone.

The Girl laughed lightly.

"Oh, all right--cash in--but don't put the head on the keg--I ain't
cashed in m'self yet."

Rolling the keg to one side of the room, Nick beckoned to the Girl to
come close to him, which she did; and pointing to Johnson, who was
strolling about the room, humming softly to himself, he whispered:

"Say, Girl, know anythin' about--about him?"

But very significant as was Nick's pantomime, which included the keg and
Johnson, it succeeded only in bringing forth a laugh from the Girl, and
the words:

"Oh, sure!"

Nevertheless, the faithful guardian of the Girl's interests sent a
startled glance of inquiry about the room, and again asked:

"All right, eh?"

The Girl ignored the implication contained in the other's glance, and
answered "Yep," in such a