mule-headed folks who guess their mission in
life is to round up other folks' 'strays.' Steve's not a thing to you
now, Nita, and never will be again. You can't ever go back to him. He'd
kick you out without mercy, if I know Steve. He's hard--hard as hell.
You're mine, my dear, mine for keeps. Steve don't want any woman who's
shared her bed with another feller. You know that well enough. Well,
say, be reasonable. Let the kid go. You don't need her. You and me
together, we can play the game out. I can make good up there. And all I
make you've a half share stake in. It's up to you, kid. Just say the
word, and I'll fix things so that brat can get to an institution. Will
you----?"

"It's no use, Hervey." Nita shook her head decidedly. But his
coarseness, his brutality had had its effect. The violet of her eyes
remained hidden lest it should reveal the terror that lay in her heart.
"We've argued all this before. I'll go where you like, when you like,
but--my baby girl goes with me."

The decision was irrevocable and the man understood the obstinacy which
was so great a part of Nita's character. So he added no further pressure
at the moment. Only his dark eyes regarded her while his thought
travelled swiftly. At last, as he made no reply, Nita raised her eyes to
his face. Her gaze encountered his, and she turned abruptly from the
lurid reflection of the lamplight she beheld in his eyes, to the refuge
of the child's cot, which never failed her.

Garstaing laughed. It was a coarse, hard laugh that meant nothing. He
threw his hat aside.

"Let's eat," he cried. "Then we'll start right in to pack up our outfit.
We're taking no chances. We got to be on the road north by noon
to-morrow. We'll take the kid. Oh, yes, we'll take his precious kid," he
laughed. "But God help you if things happen through it. You know what
this thing means? If Steve and I come up with each other there's going
to be a killing. And murder's a big thing beside pouching the Treaty
Money of a bunch of darn neches."

CHAPTER XV

THE SET COURSE

Delight and excitement were running high. It was a game. In Marcel's
child-mind there was nothing better in the world. And it was An-ina's
invention. It was the gopher hunt.

They often played it in the cool summer evenings. The gophers destroyed
the crops of men, therefore men must destroy the gophers. It was the
simple logic that satisfied the child-hunter's mind. Besides, it was his
own game which An