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The rigor of her flat back told him that, though she might have to keep his shameful secret for the sake of her own, he could not presume upon it the least in the world. Melissy turned the horse over to a little Mexican boy and they were just mounting the steps of the porch when a young man cantered up to the house.
Understand, I wasn't drunk, but had be'n settin' pretty steady to the bottle for several days. Melissy finds it out, no matter how, and undertakes to keep me out of trouble. She's that full of sand, she nevah once thought of the danger or the consequences. Anyhow, she meant to git the bullion back to you afteh the thing had blown over."
He seemed to have some inner source of mirth he did not care to disclose. Though Champ Lee had business in Mesa next day that would not be denied, he was singularly loath to leave the ranch. He wanted to stay close to Melissy until the dénouement of the hunt for the stage robber. On the other hand, it was well known that his contest with Morse for the Monte Cristo was up for a hearing.
"Probably he had business in Mesa," Melissy answered, turning her face to the wall. "Business nothing," retorted the exasperated rancher. "He figured we couldn't eat and sleep him without extra trouble. Ain't that a fine reputation for him to be giving the Bar Double G? I'll curl his hair for him onct I meet up with him again."
"If you would put out the light, I think I could sleep, dad," she told him in the least of voices. "Sure, honey. Has the throbbing gone out of the ankle?" he asked anxiously. "Not entirely, but it's a good deal better. Good-night, dad." "If Doc comes I'll bring him in," Lee said after he had kissed her. "Do, please." But after she was left alone Melissy did not prepare herself for sleep.
The indictment against your friend is that he interfered when it wasn't his business." "But it was his business. Don't you know he's sheriff? He had to do it." Melissy turned to the outlaw impetuously. "So. And I have to play my hand out, too. It wipes out Mr. Flatray. Sorry, but business is business."
"Did you ever ride the range?" "No." "What sort of work have you done?" After a scarcely noticeable pause, "Clerical work," he answered. "You're from the East?" she suggested, her eyes narrowing. "Yes." "My name is Melissy Lee," she told him, watching him very steadily. Once more the least of pauses. "Mine is Diller James Diller." "That's funny. I know another man of that name.
She had spent them all, and had come up against the wall of blank despair. Then Jack's grave smile thanked her. "You've done what you could, Melissy." She clung to him wildly. "Oh, no no! I can't let you go, Jack. I can't. I can't." "I reckon it's got to be, dear," he told her gently. But her breaking heart could not stand that. There must somehow be a way to save him.
The plight of this girl might have moved even an unresponsive heart, but Rosario showed a stolid face to her distress. What had to be said, she said. For the rest, she declined conversation absolutely. Breakfast was served Melissy in her room, after which Rosario led her outdoors. The woman gave her to understand that she might walk about the cleared space, but must not pass into the woods beyond.
The voice of Norris rose to an irritated snarl. "Tell you I've got evidence, Lee. Mebbe it's not enough to convict, but it satisfies me a-plenty that Jack Flatray's the man." Melissy was frozen to a tense attention. Her whole mind was on what passed between the detective and her father. Otherwise she would have noticed the swift change that transformed the tenderfoot.
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