Mrs. Muldoon spoke up.  “And that’s easy.  She’ll just take our spare bedroom and welcome.”

Tim put an arm caressingly over his mother’s shoulders.  “Ain’t she the best little sport ever, Mr. Lindsay?” he said proudly.

Clay smiled.  “She sure enough grades ’way up.”

“It’s blarney yuh’re both talkin’,” snorted Mrs. Muldoon.  “Sure the girrl needs a mother and a home.  An’ I don’t doubt she’ll pay her way.”

“Then that’s settled.  Will you see Annie, Tim?  Or shall I?”

“We’ll both see her.  But there’s another thing.  Will she be safe here?”

“I’m goin’ to have a talk with ‘Slim’ Jim and try to throw a scare into him.  I’ll report to you what he says.”

They took a trolley to the lodging-house where Annie lived.

The girl looked pale and tired.  Clay guessed she slept little.  The memory of “Slim” Jim’s snarling had stood out in the darkness at the foot of her bed.

“Is this a pinch?” she asked Tim with a pert little tilt to her chin.

“Yuh can call it that, Annie.  Mother wants yuh to come and stay with us.”

“And what would I do that for, Mr. Tim Muldoon?” she asked promptly, the color flushing her cheeks.

“Because you’re not safe here.  That gang will make yuh pay somehow for what yuh did.”

“And if your mother took me in they’d make her pay.  You’d maybe lose your job.”

“I’d find another.  I’m thinkin’ of quittin’ anyhow.”

“Say, whadya think I am?  I’ll not go.  I can look out for myself.”

“I don’t think they’d get Tim,” put in Clay.  “I’m goin’ to see Collins and have a talk with him.”

“You can’t salve Jim with soft soap.”

“Did I mention soft soap?”

“I heard some one most killed Jerry Durand last night,” said Annie abruptly, staring at Lindsay’s bruised face.  “Was it you?”

“Yes,” said the Arizonan simply.

“Did you get the girl?”

“They dropped her to save themselves.  My friend found her with a man and took her from him.”

“I hope you did up Jerry right!” cried Annie, a vindictive flash in her dark eyes.

“I haven’t called him up this mo’nin’ to see how he’s feelin’,” said Clay whimsically.  “Miss Annie, we’re worried some about you.  Mrs. Muldoon is right anxious for us to get you to come and stay awhile with her.  She’s honin’ to have a li’l’ girl to mother.  Don’t you reckon you can go?”

“I—­I wish yuh’d come, Annie,” blurted out Tim, looking down his nose.

Tears brimmed in Annie’s eyes.  To Clay it seemed there was something hungry in the look the girl gave Muldoon.  She did not want his pity alone.  She would not have their hospitality if they were giving it to a girl they despised and wanted to reform.

“I’m an alley cat you’re offerin’ to take in and feed, Tim Muldoon,” she charged suspiciously.