uses that to climb cliffs with. That's right--he's a new
kind of cat. Sure, they used to be lots of 'em around here, but the
coyotes got all the rest. Tom is the only one left. Want to pet him?
Well--whoa, pussy,--come up careful, then; he's never--ouch!"

At the first whisk of skirts, Tommy's yellow eyes turned green and he
sank every available hook and claw into his master's arm; but when
Kitty reached out a hand he exploded in a storm of spits and hisses
and dashed out through the door.

"Well, look at that, now," said Creede, grinning and rubbing his arm.
"D'ye know what's the matter with him? You're the first woman he ever
saw in his life. W'y, sure! They ain't no women around here. I got him
off a cowman over on the Verde. He had a whole litter of 'em--used to
pinch Tom's tail to make him fight--so when I come away I jest quietly
slipped Mr. Tommy into my shaps."

"Oh, the poor little thing," said Kitty; and then she added, puckering
up her lips, "but I don't like cats."

"Oh, I do!" exclaimed Lucy Ware quickly, as Creede's face changed, and
for a moment the big cowboy stood looking at them gravely.

"That's good," he said, smiling approvingly at Lucy; and then, turning
to Kitty Bonnair, he said: "You want to learn, then."

But Kitty was not amenable to the suggestion.

"No!" she cried, stamping her foot. "I don't! They're such stealthy,
treacherous creatures--and they never have any affection for people."

"Ump-um!" denied Creede, shaking his head slowly. "You don't know
cats--jest think you do, maybe. W'y, Tommy was the only friend I had
here for two years. D'ye think he could fool me all that time? Rufe
here will tell you how he follows after me for miles--and cryin',
too--when the coyotes might git 'im anytime. And he sleeps with me
every night," he added, lowering his voice.

"Well, you can have him," said Kitty lightly. "Do they have any real
mountain lions here?"

"Huh?" inquired Creede, still big-eyed with his emotions. "Oh, yes;
Bill Johnson over in Hell's Hip Pocket makes a business of huntin'
'em. Twenty dollars bounty, you know."

"Oh, oh!" cried Kitty. "Will he take me with him? Tell me all about
it!"

Jefferson Creede moved over toward the door with a far-away look in
his eyes.

"That's all," he said indifferently. "He runs 'em with hounds. Well,
I'll have to bid you good-night."

He ducked his head, and stepped majestically out the door; and Hardy,
who was listening, could hear him