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Arlie pushed into the house and called for Jed. As Steve strolled out into the moonlight, he left behind him the monotonous thumping of heavy feet and the singsong voice of the caller. "Birdie fly out, Crow hop in, Join all hands And circle ag'in." came to him, in the high, strident voice of Lute Perkins. He took a deep breath of fresh, clean air, and looked about him.
They descended the valley, crossed the road, and in an open grassy spot just beyond, came plump upon four men who had unsaddled to eat lunch. The meeting came too abruptly for Arlie to avoid it. One glance told her that they were deputies from Gimlet Butte. Without the least hesitation she rode forward and gave them the casual greeting of cattleland.
This country is full o' suspicion. Whilst it's onjust, charges are being made against us on the outside. Right now the settlers here have got to guard against furriners. Now I know yo're all right, Mr. Fraser. But my neighbors don't know it." "It was our lives he saved, not our neighbors'," scoffed Arlie. "K'rect. So I say, Mr. Fraser, if yo' are out o' funds, I'll finance you.
Cut out the rough house before you maim some of these gents who didn't invite you to their party." The ranger felt the earth sway beneath him as he spoke. His wound had been torn loose in the fight, and was bleeding. Limply he leaned against the tree for support. It was at this moment he caught sight of Arlie and Briscoe as they ran up. Involuntarily he straightened almost jauntily.
When he reached the cabin he gave an audible sigh of relief and quickly locked the door. "Of course you'll have to go for help, Dick. Bring old Doc Lee." "Why, Arlie, I can't leave you here alone. What are you talking about?" "You'll have to. It's the only thing to do. You'll have to give me your revolver. And, oh, Dick, don't lose a moment on the way." He was plainly troubled.
Presently the boy Bobbie arrived for further orders. Arlie went to her desk and wrote hurriedly. "You're to give this note to my father," she directed. "Be sure he gets it himself. You ought to find him down in Jackson's Pocket, if the drive is from Round Top to-day. But you can ask about that along the road." When the boy had gone, Arlie turned to Fraser.
When he knew who I was, he decided he couldn't afford to have me lynched without trying to save me." "I see. And the map?" "This was the only part of the country in which I would be safe from capture. He knew I had a claim on some of the Cedar Mountain people, because it was to help them I had got into trouble." "Yes, I can see that." Arlie nodded quickly.
"It wasn't your fault. It was for us you did it. Oh, why did they attack us?" "I did what I had to do. There is no blame due either you or me for it," he said, with quiet conviction. "I know. But it seems so dreadful. And then they put you in jail and you broke out! Wasn't that it?" "That was the way of it, Miss Arlie. How did you know?" "Henry Speed's note to father said you had broken jail.
"I play my own hand. I don't lie down before him, or any other man. He'd better not get in my way, unless he's sure he's a better man than I am." "But he isn't in your way," Arlie insisted. "He has told a plain story. I believe every word of it." "I notice he didn't tell any of his plain story until we proved it on him. He comes through with his story after he's caught with the goods.
"Plumb tickled to death to meet up with yore old master, ain't you? How come it you ain't fallen in love with this young lady and forgot Steve?" "He thinks a lot of me, too," Arlie claimed promptly. "Don't blame you a bit, Teddy. I'll ce'tainly shake hands with you on that. But life's jest meetin' and partin', old hawss. I got to take you away for good, day after to-morrow."
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