Put if
there's any justice left in the courts, I'll save the old ranch. My wife
and I worked hard to make it what it is, and my boys call it home. We
can't save it by anything but law. Fightin' would only make a bad
matter worse. I'm obliged to yuh, Miss Georgie, for taking such an
interest--and I'll tell Black about Jim Wakely."

"Don't build any hopes on Jim," she warned. "He probably doesn't know
anything except that he sent and received messages he couldn't read any
sense into."

"Well--there's always a way out, if we can find it. Come down and see
us some time. We still got a house to invite our friends to." He smiled
drearily at her, gave a little, old-fashioned bow, and went over to
join Baumberger--and to ask Pete Hamilton for the use of his team and
buckboard.

Miss Georgie, keeping an uneasy vigil over everything that moved in the
barren portion of Hartley which her window commanded, saw Pete get up
and start listlessly toward the stable; saw Peaceful sit down to wait;
and then Pete drove up with the rig, and they started for the ranch.
She turned with a startled movement to the office door, because she felt
that she was being watched.

"How, Hagar, and Viney, and Lucy," she greeted languidly when she saw
the three squaws sidle closer, and reached for a bag of candy for them.

Hagar's greasy paw stretched out greedily for the gift, and placed it in
jealous hiding beneath her blanket, but she did not turn to go, as
she most frequently did after getting what she came for. Instead, she
waddled boldly into the office, her eyes searching cunningly every
corner of the little room. Viney and Lucy remained outside, passively
waiting. Hagar twitched at something under her blanket, and held out her
hand again; this time it was not empty.

"Ketchum sagebrush," she announced laconically. "Mebbyso yo' like for
buy?"

Miss Georgie stared fixedly at the hand, and said nothing. Hagar drew it
under her blanket, held it fumbling there, and thrust it forth again.

"Ketchum where ketchum hair," she said, and her wicked old eyes twinkled
with malice. "Mebbyso yo' like for buy?"

Miss Georgie still stared, and said nothing. Her under lip was caught
tightly between her teeth by now, and her eyebrows were pulled close
together.

"Ketchum much track, same place," said Hagar grimly. "Good Injun makeum
track all same boot. Seeum Good Injun creep, creep in bushes, all time
Man-that-coughs be heap kill. Yo' buy hair, buy knif