etermination. The cowboy grinned with quick prescience.

"Spit it out, Abbie. I caint help myself."

"Red," she said quietly without an attempt at preamble, "will yuh kill
Matlock fer me?"

He stared his astonishment undisguisedly. There was absolutely no doubt
as to the seriousness of her question; the grim set of her jaws, the
anxiety in her eyes and general tenseness of muscle throughout the whole
lean body betokened that.

In this man's life surprises were not infrequent and now as ever he
displayed only the nonchalance characteristic of all typical
frontiersmen in moments of crisis. Something in her manner and attitude
repressed the almost irresistible desire to answer her humorously, and
his reply was grave to solemnity.

"Yuh see, Miss Abbie, we-all promised Ken thet we wouldn't cut in on
thet deal. But I'd jest love to oblige yuh, an' if yuh can square me
with the old man I'll take Matlock's trail soon as I can straddle m'
hoss agin. Yuh see, Ken's kinder got hes heart sot on doin' thet leetle
stunt hisself, an' he's apt to r'ar up an' sweat under thu collar when
anybody musses with hes things. Yuh onderstand how 'tis--"

She withered him with a measureless scorn: "Yes, I onderstan'. Yuah
afraid o' Matlock!" She turned to go. "An' I thought this was a man!"

"Stop a minnit, Miss Willi'ms!" The words were scarcely audible but she
wheeled instanter. He had not moved a muscle so far as she could detect
but she felt as though she had been clutched in a grasp of steel and
whirled on a pivot. But the erstwhile pallid face was now justifying his
nickname and his eyes were black with menace. "Thet's not eggsactly
squar' now, is it?" His voice was almost pleading, the trembling hands
alone betrayed the strain he was laboring under.

Mountain born and range bred, Abigail Williams was a woman of undaunted
courage, but even her invincible spirit recoiled momentarily from the
task she set herself. It was like plowing in a powder magazine with a
red-hot share, but she was only concerned with the end in view and,
deliberately considering the risk, employed the only means at hand.

"Squar' er raound," she said incisively, "It's thu mizzable truth. Ef it
wa'nt, yuh would take thu job offen Ken's ban's an' keep my lamb's heart
from breakin'!"

She could hear the beating of his heart in the absolute quiet that
followed her audacious words. When she dared to raise her eyes he was
very pale and wan but he met her pitying