"Vy, de whole ting, señor, de whole ting."

He gazed directly into the partially upturned face of the other, as

though urging her also to speak.

"We do not in the least comprehend the situation here, Mr. Winston,"

she responded, her voice low and steady. "No one has taken the trouble

to explain. We realize, of course, it must be serious, but possibly

the strain would prove less if we understood clearly what must be met."

The engineer bowed, drawing toward him an empty cracker-box, and sat

down facing them both.

"I will relate the circumstances to you in all their unpleasantness,"

he began quietly. "Perhaps your woman wit may discover some loophole

which has escaped us." Clearly, yet rapidly, he reviewed the salient

points of the controversy between Farnham and the "Little Yankee," his

own brief connection with it, the discoveries made in the lower levels

of the "Independence," his desperate struggle with Burke, the swearing

out and serving of warrants, the sudden change in situation which had

placed them legally in the wrong, the accident to the sheriff, the curt

dismissal of his deputy, and the probable consequences. His voice grew

deep as he proceeded, marking the intense interest with which they

followed his recital. Then he unfolded briefly the plan adopted for

relief. It was the impulsive Mexican who broke the silence that

followed his conclusion.

"Si, I see dat!" she exclaimed, leaning eagerly forward, her head

between her hands. "Eet vas ver' good vay. But you tink dar be fight

soon? You tink so? Beell, he tink so? Den you no like dat de Señor

Brown be avay? No, no, you no like be lef' alone ven de fight come?

He big, strong, brav'; he bettah as ten men, hey? Eet vas so, I tell

you. I go vis de message, si; Señor Brown he stay here. Vould not dat

be de bettah?"

Winston shifted uneasily upon his cracker-box, his gaze wandering from

the animated face confronting him to that of the other farther back

amid the shadows, still grave and full of doubt.

"You?" he exclaimed in surprise. "Surely you do not suppose we would

ever permit you to attempt such a thing."

"No? An' vy not, señor?" springing impulsively to her feet, her eyes

opening wide. "Maybe you tink I not know how ride? Maybe you tink I

vas 'fraid of de dark? or dat I lose my vay? You tink me leetle girl,"

and she snapped her fingers indignantly. "Do dat? Of course I do dat!

Sapristi! Eet vas easy. Just ride twenty mile. Bah! I do dat lots

o' times. My pony he take me in tree, four hour sure. He nice pony,

an' he lofe Mercedes."

"But you do not know the way, girl, and the ride must be made at night."




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