being drunk. She told me so. There's something great about that
little girl. I felt it, Blink. I liked her. I told her she didn't
belong there. I believe she could be made a good woman. Why don't you
try it? I'll help you. She likes you. She told me that, too."

"But Louise won't ever see me unless she's drunk," protested Blinky
sorrowfully.

"That's proof. She doesn't want you wasting your time and money at the
Yellow Mine. She thinks you're too good for that--when she's sober....
Talk straight now, Blink. You do love her, bad as she is?"

"So help me I do!" burst out the cowboy abjectly. "It's purty near
killed me. The more I see of her the more I care. I'm so sorry fer
her I cain't stand it.... Dick Hardman fetched her out heah from
Frisco. Aw! She must have been bad before thet, I know. But she
wasn't low down. Thet dive has done it. Wal, he never cared nothin'
fer her an' she hates him. She swears she'll cut his heart out. An'
I'm afraid she'll do it. Thet's why I'd like to stick a gun into his
belly."

"Marry Louise. Take her away. Come south with us to Arizona," replied
Pan persuasively.

"My Gawd, pardner, you're too swift fer me," whispered Blinky huskily,
and he clutched Pan. "Would you let us go with you?"

"Sure. Why not? Lucy and my mother know nothing about Louise. Even
if they did they wouldn't despise a poor girl you and I believe is good
at heart and has been unfortunate. I'd rather not tell them, but I
wouldn't be afraid to."

"But Louise won't marry me."

"If we can't talk her into it when she's sober, by heaven we'll get her
drunk.... Now Blink, it's settled. Let's stay away from there
tonight. Forget it. We'll go out and do the hard riding stunt of our
lives. We'll sell horses. With some money we can figure on homes far
from this bitter country--_homes_, cowboy, do you savvy that? With
cattle and horses--some fine open grassy rolling country--where nobody
ever heard of Blinky Moran and Panhandle Smith."

"Pard, it ain't--my--right name, either," mumbled Blinky, leaning
against Pan. He was crying.

"No difference," replied Pan, holding the boy tight a moment. "Brace
up, now, Blink. It's all settled. Go to bed now, I'll help Gus with
the horses."

Pan left the cowboy there in the darkness, and returned to camp. His
conscience questioned him, but he had only satisfaction, even gladness
in reply. Blinky had been one of the wild cowboys, and ha