Nell had her face against the bars, and she was crying. He
slipped a big arm around her and waited. Although it was not often
expressed, there was a strong attachment between them.

"Dad, I don't want you to think me a--a baby any more," she said. "I've
been insulted."

With a specific fact to make clear thought in Belding's mind he was
never slow.

"I knew something unusual had come off. I guess you'd better tell me."

"Dad, I will, if you promise."

"What?"

"Not to mention it to mother, not to pack a gun down there, and never,
never tell Dick."

Belding was silent. Seldom did he make promises readily.

"Nell, sure something must have come off, for you to ask all that."

"If you don't promise I'll never tell, that's all," she declared,
firmly.

Belding deliberated a little longer. He knew the girl.

"Well, I promise not to tell mother," he said, presently; "and seeing
you're here safe and well, I guess I won't go packing a gun down there,
wherever that is. But I won't promise to keep anything from Dick that
perhaps he ought to know."

"Dad, what would Dick do if--if he were here and I were to tell him
I'd--I'd been horribly insulted?"

"I guess that 'd depend. Mostly, you know, Dick does what you want.
But you couldn't stop him--nobody could--if there was reason, a man's
reason, to get started. Remember what he did to Rojas!... Nell, tell
me what's happened."

Nell, regaining her composure, wiped her eyes and smoothed back her
hair.

"The other day, Wednesday," she began, "I was coming home, and in front
of that mescal drinking-place there was a crowd. It was a noisy crowd.
I didn't want to walk out into the street or seem afraid. But I had to
do both. There were several young men, and if they weren't drunk they
certainly were rude. I never saw them before, but I think they must
belong to the mining company that was run out of Sonora by rebels.
Mrs. Carter was telling me. Anyway, these young fellows were
Americans. They stretched themselves across the walk and smiled at me.
I had to go out in the road. One of them, the rudest, followed me. He
was a big fellow, red-faced, with prominent eyes and a bold look. He
came up beside me and spoke to me. I ran home. And as I ran I heard
his companions jeering.

"Well, to-day, just now, when I was riding up the valley road I came
upon the same fellows. They had instruments and were surveying.
Remembering Dick, and how he always wished f