. But he had never before seen that quality
dwelling in a slim girlish figure of long soft curves, never seen it in a
face of dewy freshness that could melt to the tenderest pity. She was like
flint, and yet she could give herself with a passionate tenderness to
those she loved. He had seen animals guard their young with that same
alert eager abandon. His conviction was that she would gladly die for her
father if it were necessary. As he looked at her with hard unchanging
eyes, his blood quickened to a fierce joy in her it had known for no other
woman.

"First thing is to search the Jack of Hearts and see what's there. Are you
with me, Uncle Alec?"

"I sure am, Curly;" and he reached for his hat.

Bob too was on his feet. "I'm going. You needn't any of you say I ain't,
for I am."

Curly nodded. "If you'll do as you're told, Bob."

"I will. Cross my heart."

"May I come too?" Kate pleaded.

She was a strongwilled impulsive young woman, and her deference to Curly
flattered him; but he shook his head none the less.

"No. You may wait in the parlor downstairs and I'll send Bob to you with
any news. There's just a chance this may be a man's job and we want to go
to it unhampered." He turned at the door with his warm smile. "By the way,
I've got some news I forgot. I know where your father got the money to pay
his poker debts. Mr. Jordan of the Cattlemen's National made him a
personal loan. He figured it would not hurt the bank because the three men
Luck paid it to would deposit it with the bank again."

"By George, that's what we did, too, every last one of us," his uncle
admitted.

"Every little helps," Kate said; and her little double nod thanked Curly.

The young man stopped a moment after the others had gone. "I'm not going
to let Bob get into danger," he promised.

"I knew you wouldn't," was her confident answer.

At the corner of the plaza Curly gave Bob instructions.

"You stay here and keep an eye on everyone that passes. Don't try to stop
anybody. Just size them up."

"Ain't I to go with you? I got a gun."

"You're to do as I say. What kind of a soldier would you make if you can't
obey orders? I'm running this. If you don't like it trot along home."

"Oh, I'll stay," agreed the crestfallen youth.

Maloney met them in front of the Jack of Hearts.

"Dick, you go with me inside. Uncle Alec, will you keep guard outside?"

"No, bub, I won't. I knew Luck before you were walking bowlegged," the old