he others, for she offered him her trembling hand. Yaqui took
it and laid it against his body in a strange motion, and bowed his
head. Then he stepped back into the shadow of the room.

Belding went outdoors while the rangers took up their former position
at the west window. Each had his own somber thoughts, Gale imagined,
and knew his own were dark enough. A slow fire crept along his veins.
He saw Belding halt at the corrals and wave his hand. Then the rebels
mounted and came briskly up the road, this time to rein in abreast.

Wherever Rojas had kept himself upon the former advance was not clear;
but he certainly was prominently in sight now. He made a gaudy, almost
a dashing figure. Gale did not recognize the white sombrero, the
crimson scarf, the velvet jacket, nor any feature of the dandy's
costume; but their general effect, the whole ensemble, recalled vividly
to mind his first sight of the bandit. Rojas dismounted and seemed to
be listening. He betrayed none of the excitement Gale had seen in him
that night at the Del Sol. Evidently this composure struck Ladd and
Lash as unusual in a Mexican supposed to be laboring under stress of
feeling. Belding made gestures, vehemently bobbed his big head,
appeared to talk with his body as much as with his tongue. Then Rojas
was seen to reply, and after that it was clear that the talk became
painful and difficult. It ended finally in what appeared to be mutual
understanding. Rojas mounted and rode away with his men, while Belding
came tramping back to the house.

As he entered the door his eyes were shining, his big hands were
clenched, and he was breathing audibly.

"You can rope me if I'm not locoed!" he burst out. "I went out to
conciliate a red-handed little murderer, and damn me if I didn't meet
a--a--well, I've not suitable name handy. I started my bluff and got
along pretty well, but I forgot to mention that Mercedes was Thorne's
wife. And what do you think? Rojas swore he loved Mercedes--swore
he'd marry her right here in Forlorn River--swore he would give up
robbing and killing people, and take her away from Mexico. He has
gold--jewels. He swore if he didn't get her nothing mattered. He'd
die anyway without her.... And here's the strange thing. I believe
him! He was cold as ice, and all hell inside. Never saw a Greaser
like him. Well, I pretended to be greatly impressed. We got to
talking friendly, I suppose, though I didn't understand half