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Updated: May 31, 2025
If the boss 'ud on'y listen to me he'd leave no stock around the outstations. It's devilish luck, ma'am, that's what it is devilish." Elvine remained lost in thought, and the man's narrow eyes never left the profile she presented to him. When she turned to him again, however, his whole attitude was one of bland humility. "You can ride back to your station," she declared, with perfect authority.
Nor would any one have recognized in the anxious-eyed woman before her the beautiful creature who had first stirred Jeffrey Masters out of his years of celibate thought. Without a word Nan turned back to the parlor. When she reappeared she was buckling a revolver belt about her slim waist. The two heavy holsters it supported were almost incongruous on so slight a figure. Elvine watched her.
"It's from Bud, and I guess it's important. I've only two or three pages more." He picked the letter up and sorted the sheets into order. Elvine watched him. She wanted to ask a dozen questions. But she put none of them. "He's your partner," was all she said. "Yep," he nodded, with his eyes on the pages. Then Elvine voiced something of her real feelings of the moment.
Say, he was a cattle rustler running a big gang who'd played hell with the district. He'd been running it for nigh five years. He'd beaten 'em to a mush, all that time, till a reward was offered. A reward of ten thousand dollars. That fixed him. There was some one knew wanted that reward, and got it." There was a sudden movement in the room. Elvine had abruptly risen from her chair.
The reception of her confession seemed to concern her not at all. Out of the darkness loomed her father's great figure. He was leading Nan's horse as well as his own. The girl leaped into the saddle, and he passed his own reins up to her. "I shan't be haf a minit," he said. "I need my guns. The boys are waitin' by the barn." He passed into the house. Then Nan observed Elvine.
She's a pretty creature," Elvine went on, feeling their topic needed changing. Jeff's smile deepened. "She's pretty right through to her soul," came his prompt and earnest response. Elvine's eyes observed him closely. She laughed in a challenging fashion. "And she is still her father's daughter?" Jeff flushed. Her meaning could not be mistaken.
He says he's located the rustlers' camp and must hand Jeff the news before while he has time. Jeff's gone out there, and Sikkem's one of the gang and escaped from Orrville four years ago." "How d'you know?" It was Bud's heavy voice put the question. It was full of stern command. "I've seen him. I know him, and he knows me. He he wrote this and sent it me." Elvine thrust the crumpled note at Bud.
It was the result of her delight and pride in this man himself who was called upon, and looked to, for leadership, in this little world of theirs. "You'll " "I'll handle things here for you, Jeff." Nan gave him no chance to make his appeal. "Elvine shall be as safe as we can make her. She can come right over here till you get back, or I'll sleep at your place. It shall be just as she feels.
Her mother was bending over her work, nor did she trouble to raise her eyes in her daughter's direction. "That sounds as if somebody else wasn't." Elvine raised a pair of beautifully rounded arms above her head and rested the back of her neck upon her clasped hands. The gray head was lifted sharply. A pair of brilliant black eyes shot a disapproving glance across the room.
The days of the honeymoon had been carefully thought out by Elvine. Her wishes had been supreme. Toronto was their first destination. A city whose bright, pleasant life appealed to her more, perhaps, even than any of the great cities of the greater world. Perfect happiness was theirs from the moment of their departure eastward.
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