"I wanted Cap Pike to let me in on this prospecting trip, wanted to
put in money," she said rather hesitant, "and he turned me down cold,
except for a measly ten dollars, 'smoke money' he called it. I reckon
he only took that to get rid of me, which I don't call friendly, do
you? And if things should go crooked with him, and he--well--sort of
needs help to get out, you'll let me know, won't you?"

"Yes, if it seems best," he agreed, "but you won't be here; you'll be
shipped to a school, _pronto_!"

"I won't be so far off the map that a letter can't reach me. Cap Pike
won't ever write, but I thought maybe you----"

"Sure," agreed Rhodes easily. "We'll send out a long yell for help
whenever we get stuck."

She eyed him darkly and without faith.

"Wish I knew how to make that certain," she confessed. "You're only
dodging me with any kind of a promise to keep me quiet, just as Cap
did. I know! I'm jealous, too, because you're taking a trail I've
always wanted to take with Cap, and they won't let me because I'm a
girl."

"Cheer up! When you are boss of the range you can outfit any little
_pasear_ you want to take, but you and I won't be in the same class
then, Lark-child."

"Are you really going it blind, trailing with Cap into the Painted
Hills after that fascinating gold legend?" she demanded. "Or have you
some inside trail blazed for yourself? Daddy Pike is the best ever,
but he always goes broke, and if he isn't broke, he has a jug at his
saddle horn, so----"

"Oh it's only a little jug this time, and he's had a fare-you-well
drink out of it with everyone in sight, so there's only one hilarious
evening left in the jug now. Just enough for a gladsome memory of
civilization."

"Are you in deep on this prospect plan?" she persisted.

"Well, not that you could notice. That is, I've got a three months'
job offered me down at Whitely's; that will serve the captain as
headquarters to range from until we add to our stake. Whitely is
rounding up stock for the Allies down Mesa Blanca way, and Pike will
feel at home there. Don't you worry, I'll keep an eye on Pike. He is
hilariously happy to get into that region with a partner."

"I don't like it," she grumbled at him with sulky gray eyes. "Pedro
Vijil just came back from the south, and brought his sister's family
from San Rafael. They're refugees from the Federals because their men
joined Ramon Rotil, the rebel leader, and Merced is crying herself
crazy over the