She feared, as he talked, that it was true; and she
longed for him to go away, that she could think alone. The hot blood
burned in her cheeks, as she remembered that night by the Twin Springs.
The humiliation of it, if it proved true!

"But, see here, 'Tana. I didn't come here to talk about your virtuous
ranger. I want some money--enough to cut the country. It ain't any more
than fair, anyway, that you divide with me, for if it hadn't been for that
sneaking hound in the other room, half of this find would have been mine a
year ago."

"It will do more good where it is," she answered. "He did right not to
trust you. And if he were able to walk, you would not be allowed to live
many minutes within reach of him."

"Oh, yes; I know he was trailing me," he answered, indifferently, "but it
was no hard trick to keep out of his road. I suppose you let him know you
approve of his feelings toward me."

"Yes, I would load a gun for him to use on you if he were able to hold
it," she answered, and he seemed to think her words amusing.

"You have mighty little regard for your duty to me," he observed.

"Duty? I can't owe you any duty when I never received any from you. I am
nearly seventeen, and in all the years I remember you, I can't recall any
good act you have ever done for me."

"Nearly seventeen," and he smiled at her in the way she hated. "Didn't
your new uncle, Haydon, tell you better than that? You are nearly eighteen
years old."

"Eighteen!" and she rose in astonishment. "I?"

"You--though you don't look it. You always were small for your age, so I
just told you a white lie about it in order to manage you better. But that
is over; I don't care what you do in the future. All I want of you is
money to get to South America; so fix it up for me."

"I ought to refuse, and call them in to arrest you."

"But you won't," he rejoined. "You can't afford it."

He watched her, though, with some uncertainty, as she sat silent,
thinking.

"No, I can't afford it," she said, at last. "I will be doing wrong to help
you, just as if I let a poison snake loose where people travel--for that
is what you are. But I am not strong enough to let these friends go and
start over again; so I will help you away this once."

He drew a breath of relief, and gathered up his blanket.

"That is the way to talk. You've got a level head--"

"That will do," she said, curtly. "I don't want praise from a coward, a
thief, or a murderer. You are