“That’s all for just now.  You’re a natural-born flirt, Phyllis.  That’s what’s the matter with you.”

“Thank you, Mr. Healy.  You’re the only one of my friends that has been so honest with me,” she assured him sweetly.

“I’m the only one of them that is going to marry you.  Don’t think I’ll let Keller butt in.  Not on your life.”

Her rage broke bounds.  “I never in my life heard of anything so insolent.  Never! You’ll not let me do this or that.  Who are you, Brill Healy?”

“I’ve told you.  I’m the man that means to marry you,” he persisted doggedly.

“You never will.  I’m not thinking of marrying, but when I do I’ll not ask for your indorsement.  Be sure of that.”

“I’ll not stand it!  He’d better look out!”

“Who do you mean?”

“Keller, that’s who I mean.  This thing is hanging over his head yet.  He’s got to come through with proofs he ain’t a rustler, or he’s got to pull his freight out of the Malpais country.”

“And if he won’t?”

“We’ll finish that little business you interrupted,” he told her, riding his triumph roughshod over her feelings.

“You wouldn’t, Brill!  Not when there is a doubt about it.  Jim says he is innocent, and I believe he is.  Surely you wouldn’t!”

“You’ll see.”

“If you do I’ll never speak to you again!  Never, as long as I live; and I’ll never rest till I have you in the penitentiary for his murder!” she cried tensely.

“And yet you don’t care anything about him.  You’ve just been kind to him out of charity,” he mocked.

For some minutes they had seen Seven Mile Ranch lying below them in the faint twilight.  They rode the rest of the way in silence, each of them too bitter for speech.  When they reached the house, she swung from the saddle and he kept his seat, for both of them considered her supper invitation and his acceptance cancelled.

He bowed ironically and turned to leave.

“Just a moment, Brill,” called an excited voice.  “I’ve got a piece of news that will make you sit up.”

The speaker was the young mule skinner known as Cuffs.  He came running out to the porch and fired his bolt.

“The First National Bank at Noches was held up two hours ago, and the robbers got away with their loot after shooting three or four men!”

“Two hours ago,” the girl repeated.  “You got it over the phone, of course.”

“Yep.  Slim called me up just now.  He got back right this minute from following their trail.  They lost the fellows in the hills.  Four of ’em, Slim says, and he thinks they’re headed this way.”

“What makes him think so?” asked Healy.

“He figures they are Bear Creek men.  One of them was recognized.  It was that fellow Keller.”

“Keller!” Phyllis and Healy cried the word together.

Cuffs nodded.  “Slim says he can swear to his hawss, and he’s plumb sure about the man, too.  He wants we should organize a posse and nail them as they go into the Pass for Bear Creek.  He figures we’ll have time to do it if we jump.  Noches is fifty-five miles from here, and about forty from the Pass.