g.

"She won't know it's for the last time--we'll be there," had come
warningly from the Sheriff as he pointed to the door that led to the
bar-room.

* * * * * *

"Why, what have you got the door barred for?" asked the Girl as she came
into the room; and then without waiting for an answer: "Why, where are
the boys?"

"Well, you see, the boys--the boys has--has--" began Nick confusedly and
stopped.

"The boys--" There was a question in the Girl's voice.

"Has gone."

"Gone where?"

"Why, to the Palmetter," came out feebly from Nick; and then with a
sudden change of manner, he added: "Oh, say, Girl, I likes you!" And
here he laid his hand affectionately upon her shoulder. "You've been my
religion--the bar an' you. Why, you don't never want to leave us--why,
I'd drop dead for you."

"Nick, you're very nice to--" began the Girl, gratefully, and stopped,
for at that instant a gentle tap came upon the door. Turning swiftly,
she saw Johnson coming towards her.

"Girl!" he cried in an agony of joy, and held out his arms to receive
her.

"You? You?" she admonished softly.

"Don't say a word," he whispered hurriedly.

"You shouldn't have come back," she said with knitted brow.

"I had to--to say good-bye once more." And his voice was so filled with
tenderness that she readily forgave him for the indiscretion.

"It's all right, it's all right," murmured Nick, his hand still on the
door, which he had taken the precaution to bolt after the Girl had
passed through it.

There was a moment's silence; then, going over to the windows, the Girl
pulled down the curtains.

"The boys are good for quite a little bit," she said as she came back.
"Don't git nervous--I'll give you warnin' . . ."

Nick, unwilling to witness the heartrending scene which he foresaw would
follow, noiselessly withdrew into the bar-room, leaving the prisoner
alone with the Girl.

"Don't be afraid, my Girl," said Johnson, softly.

But the Girl's one thought, after her first gladness, was of his safety:

"But you can't git away now without bein' seen?"

"Yes, there's another way out of Cloudy,--and I'm going to take it."

The grimness of his meaning was lost on the Girl, who answered urgently:

"Then go--go! Don't wait, go now!"

Johnson smiled a sad little smile:

"But remember that I'm sorry for the past, and--and don't forget me," he
said, with an odd break in his voice,--so odd that it roused the Girl