used to make bets among ourselves as to how long
'twould last, and the short-time man won out. She liked 'em 'tough,' she
said--no white-collared gents for her; and she got what she was lookin'
for when she throwed in with Freighter Sam that hauled supplies from the
railroad to the ranch.

"They skipped out between daylight and dark and made as clean a getaway
as ever was pulled off. But where she made her big mistake was takin'
you along. If it hadn't been for that, he wouldn't a-walked a half mile
to bring her back. Twenty-four hours put ten years on him, and he never
squeaked. But if he'd caught that freighter he'd took him by the heels
and swung him like you'd knock a rabbit's brains out agin a post.

"He went over the country with a fine-tooth comb, hopin' to git you
back. A couple of times he almost closed in on 'em, but they managed to
give him the slip and headed north while mostly he hunted south and
west.

"You was well growed before I run into 'em. Freighter Sam used to bang
her head agin the door jamb about twict a week, and they got along good
until he fell for a hasher in an eatin' house and quit Isabelle cold.
She hit bottom pretty pronto after that." Mullendore stopped.

"But my father, Pete;--tell me more about him!"

He eyed her with a quizzical and appraising look before he replied:

"You favor the Old Man as much as if you was made out of the mud that
was left when they was done workin' on him. Your eyes, your mouth, your
chin--the way you walk and stand--the easy style you set a horse. As the
sayin' is, 'You're the spit out of his mouth.' God A'mighty! Wouldn't he
spile you if you was with him!"

"But you don't tell me where he is, Pete!"

He ignored the interruption and said with slow malice, watching her
face:

"I've often thought what a shame it was that you two never got
together--a hankerin' for each other so."

Something in his tone struck terror to her heart.

"But you're going to tell me, Pete? You are! You are!" She crawled
closer to the bunk, on her knees.

A passionate satisfaction glittered in his eyes.

"Yes! it's a plumb pity that you and him never happened to meet up."

There was cold cruelty in his tantalizing voice.

"You mean--you mean--" she stammered with colorless lips--"that--that
you're only tormenting me again--you don't intend--"

"That depends." His pupils dilated, his white teeth gleamed.

"But you promised, Pete! Haven't you any honor--not a speck?"