and the bloody patch on his shirt
heaved with his breath, "my only--regret--is--I didn't--think to
make--Durade--tell the truth.... He lied.... He wanted to--revenge
himself--on Allie's mother--through Allie.... What he said--about
Allie--was a lie--as black as his heart. He meant evil--for her.
But--somehow she was saved. He was a tiger--playing--and he waited--too
long. You must realize--her innocence--and understand. God has watched
over Allie Lee! It was not luck--nor accident. But innocence!... Hough
died to save her! Then Ancliffe! Then my old friend--Larry King!
These men--broken--gone to hell--out here--felt an innocence that made
them--mad--as I have just been.... That is proof--if you need it....
Men of ruined lives--could not rise--and die--as they did--victims of a
false impression--of innocence.... They knew!"

Neale's voice sank to a whisper, his eyes intent to read belief in the
cold face of Allison Lee.

"I thank you, Neale, for your service to me and your defense of her," he
said. "What can I do for you?"

"Sir--I--I--"

"Can I reward you in any way?"

The gray burned out of Neale's face. "I ask--nothing--except that you
believe me."

Lee did not grant this, nor was there any softening of his cold face.

"I would like to ask you a few questions," he said. "General Lodge here
informed me that you saved my--my daughter's life long ago.... Can you
tell me what became of her mother?"

"She was in the caravan--massacred by Sioux," replied Neale. "I saw her
buried. Her grave is not so many miles from here."

Then a tremor changed Allison Lee's expression. He turned away an
instant: his hand closed tight; he bit his lips. This evidence of
feeling in him relaxed the stony scrutiny of the watchers, and they
shifted uneasily on their feet.

Allie stood watching--waiting, with her heart at her lips.

"Where did you take my daughter?" queried Lee, presently.

"To the home of a trapper. My friend--Slingerland," replied Neale,
indicating the buckskin-clad figure. "She lived there--slowly
recovering. You don't know that she lost her mind--for a while. But
she recovered.... And during an absence of Slingerland's--she was taken
away."

"Were you and she--sweethearts?"

"Yes."

"And engaged to marry?"

"Of course," replied Neale, dreamily.

"That cannot be now."

"I understand. I didn't expect--I didn't think...."

Allie Lee had believed many times that her heart was breaking, but now
she knew