happened to her.

But the cruel despot, to whom life and death were of no account
whatsoever, was not likely to deal tenderly long with the woman he
desired did she prove anything but amenable. Now her words stung him
as they were meant to sting, and his mouth hardened.

"You're talking foolish," he cried in that coldly metallic way she had
heard him use before. "Conroy got all he needed. Maybe he deserved
more. Anyhow, ther's only one man running this lay-out, and I'm surely
that man. Say--" again he changed. This time it was a change back to
something of the lover she knew, and at once he became even more
hateful to her--"things missed fire at--the Creek. I didn't get hands
on your kids. I--"

"I'm glad." Jessie could have shouted aloud her joy, but the man's
look of surprise brought caution, and she qualified her words. "No;
we'd best leave them, after all," she said. "You see, these men--"

She looked fearlessly into his face. She was acting as only a woman
can act when the object of her affections is threatened.

And her lover warmed all unsuspiciously. It would have been better for
her had she only realized her power over him. But she was not clever.
She was not even brave.

James nodded.

"Sure," he said; and with that monosyllable dismissed the subject from
his mind for matters that gave him savage delight. "Say, we've had a
good round-up," he went on--"a dandy haul. But we're going to do
better--Oh yes, much better." Then his smile died out. He had almost
forgotten the woman in the contemplation of what he had in his mind.
This man was wedded to his villainies. They came before all else.
Jessie was his; he was sure of her. She was his possession, and he
took her for granted now. The excitement of his trade had once again
become paramount.

"Guess Sufferin' Creek has gone plumb crazy," he went on delightedly.
"I've had boys around to keep me posted. They been spotting things.
Old Minky has been sittin' so tight I guessed I'd have to raid the
store for his gold; an' now they've opened out. That buzzy-headed old
fool's goin' to send out a stage loaded down with dust. It starts
Wednesday morning, an' he guesses it's to win through to Spawn City.
Gee! An' they're shoutin' about it. Say, Jess, they say it's to carry
sixty thousand dollars. Well, it won't carry it far. That's why I'm
back here now. That's why I quit worrying with your kids when Wild
Bill did up Luke. We hustled home to change our plugs, an'