ling eyes of her husband.

From his high-heeled boots to his black, glossy hair, Black MacQueen was
dusty with travel. Beside him was a gunny sack, tied in the middle and
filled at both ends. Picturesque he was and always would be, but his
present costume scarce fitted the presence of a lady. Yet of this he gave
no sign. He was leaning back in a morris chair, rakish, debonair, and at
his ease. Evidently, he had been giving appreciative ear to the music, and
more appreciative eye to the musician.

"So it's you," said Melissy, white to the lips.

MacQueen arose, recovered his dusty hat from the floor, and bowed
theatrically. "Your long-lost husband, my dear."

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm visiting my wife. The explanation seems a trifle obvious."

"What do you want?"

"Have I said I wanted anything?"

"Then you had better leave. I'll give you up if I get a chance."

He looked at her with lazy derision. "I like you angry. Your eyes snap
electricity, sweet."

"Oh!" She gave a gesture of impatience. "Do you know that, if I were to
step to that window and call out your name, the whole town would be in
arms against you?"

"Why don't you?"

"I shall, if you don't go."

"Are you alone in the house?"

"Why do you ask?" Her heart was beating fast.

"Because you must hide me till night. Is your father here?"

"Not now. He is hunting you--to kill you if he finds you."

"Servants?"

"The cook is out for the afternoon. She will be back in an hour or two."

"Good! Get me food."

She did not rise. "I must know more. What is it? Are they hunting you?
What have you done now?" A strong suppressed excitement beat in her
pulses.

"It is not what I have done, but what your friends have done. Yesterday I
went to exchange West for the ransom money. Most of my men I had to take
with me, to guard against foul play. We held the canyon from the flat tops,
and everything went all right. The exchange was made. We took the ransom
money back to the Cache. I don't know how it was--whether somebody played
me false and sold us, or whether your friend Flatray got loose and his
posse stumbled in by accident. But there they were in the Cache when we
got back."

"Yes?" The keenest agitation was in Melissy's voice.

"They took us by surprise. We fought. Two of my men ran away. Two were
shot down. I was alone."

"And then?"

The devil of torment moved in him. "Then I shot up one of your friend's
outfit, rode away, changed m