To such a woman the outlaw's
neglect could mean but one thing--another woman. And, finally, unable
to control herself any longer, she made her way to where the woman with
whom Ramerrez had been conversing was standing alone.

"What has the Senor been saying to you?" she demanded, jealousy and
ungovernable passion blazing forth from her eyes.

"Nothing of interest to you," replied the other with a shrug of her
shoulders.

"It's a lie!" burst from Nina's lips. "I heard him making love to you! I
was standing near and heard every tone, every inflection of his voice! I
saw how he looked at you!" And so crazed was she by jealousy that her
face became distorted and almost ugly, if such a thing were possible,
and her great eyes filled with hatred.

The other woman laughed scornfully.

"Make your man stay away from me then--if you can," she retorted.

At that the infuriated Nina drew a knife and cried:

"Swear to me that you'll not see him to-night, or--"

The sentence was never finished. Quick as lightning Ramerrez stepped in
and caught Nina's up-raised arm. For one instant her eyes flashed fire
at him; another, and submissive to his will, she slipped the knife
somewhere in the folds of her dress and the attention that she had
succeeded in attracting was diverted elsewhere. Those who had rushed up
expecting a tragedy returned, once more, to their dancing.

"I have been looking for you, Nina," he said, taking her to one side. "I
want to speak with you."

Nina laughed airily, but only another woman would have been able to
detect the danger lurking in that laugh.

"Have you just come in?" she inquired casually. "It is generally not
difficult to find me when there is dancing." And then with a significant
smile: "But perhaps there were so many men about me that I was
completely hidden from the view of the Senor."

Ramerrez bowed politely his belief in the truth of her words; then he
said somewhat seriously:

"I see a vacant table over in the corner where we can talk without
danger of being overheard. Come!" He led the way, the woman following
him, to a rough table of pine at the farther end of the room where,
immediately, a bottle and two glasses were placed before them. When they
had pledged each other, Ramerrez went on to say, in a low voice, that he
had made the appointment in order to deliver to her her share for the
information that led to his successful holdup of the stage at a place
known as "The Forks," a few