here," interrupted Davis amiably. "You're both acting like a
pair of kids. I'm not going to stand for any hundred-dollar smokes,
Dick. Gimme those bills." He snatched them from his friend and put them
in his pocket. "When you two get reasonable again we'll decide whose
money it is. Till then I expect I'll draw the interest on it."

"And now, since our business is ended, I think I'll not detain you any
longer, Mr. Gordon, except to warn you that it will be foolhardy to
return to the Rio Chama Valley with intentions such as you have."

"Good of you to warn me, Miss Valdes. It's not the first time, either,
is it? But I'm _that_ bull-headed. Steve will give me a recommend as the
most sot chump in New Mexico. Won't you Steve?"

"I sure will--before a notary if you like. You've got a government mule
backed off the map."

"I've done my duty, anyhow." Miss Valdes turned to the older man, and
somehow the way she did it seemed to wipe Gordon out of the picture.
"There is something I want to talk over with you, Mr. Davis. Can you
wait a few moments?"

"Sure I can--all day if you like."

Dick retired with his best bow. "Steve, you always was popular with the
ladies."

Valencia, uncompromising, waited until he had gone. Then, swiftly, with
a little leap of impulse as it were, she appealed to Davis.

"Don't let him go back to the valley. Don't let him push the cases
against Sebastian and Pablo."

The old miner shook his head "Sorry, Miss Valencia. Wish I could stop
him, but I can't. He'll go his own way--always would."

"But don't you see they'll kill him. It's madness to go back there while
he's pushing the criminal case. Before it was bad enough, but now----"
She threw up her hands with a gesture of despair.

"I reckon you're right. But I can't help it."

"Then look out for him. Don't let him ride around in the hills. Don't
let him leave the house at night. Never let him go alone. Remember that
he is in danger every hour while he remains in the valley."

"I'll remember, Miss Valencia," Davis promised.

He wondered as he walked away why the talk between Dick and Miss Valdes
had gone so badly. He knew his friend had come jubilantly, prepared to
do anything she asked of him. The fear and anxiety that had leaped to
her face the instant Gordon had gone showed him that the girl had a deep
interest in the young man. She, too, had meant to meet him half way in
wiping out the gulf between them. Instead, they had only increas