night if you'll promise not to attempt to
escape. In the morning maybe you'll see things different."

Fendrick calculated not without reason that the best thing to do would be
to give Kate a chance for a long private talk with her father. Her
influence would be more potent than any he could bring to bear.

After supper the door of the cabin was locked and a sentry posted. The
prisoners were on parole, but Cass did not on that account relax his
vigilance. For long he and his partner could hear a low murmur of voices
from within the cabin. At length the lights went out and presently the
voices died. But all through the night one or the other of the sheepmen
patroled a beat that circled around and around the house.

Fendrick did not broach the subject at issue next morning till after
breakfast.

"Well, what have you decided?" he asked at last.

"Let's hear about that compromise. What is it you offer?" Luck demanded
gruffly.

"You sign the relinquishment and agree not to make us any trouble because
we brought you here, and you may go by two o'clock."

"You want to reach Saguache with the relinquishment in time to file it
before I could get to a 'phone. You don't trust me."

Fendrick smiled. "When we let you go we're trusting you a heap more than
we would most men. But of course you're going to be sore about this and we
don't want to put temptation in your way."

"I see. Well, I accept your terms. I'll make you no _legal_ trouble. But I
tell you straight this thing ain't ended. It's only just begun. I'm going
to run you out of this country before I'm through with you."

"Go to it. We'll see whether you make good."

"Where is that paper you want me to sign?"

Luck dashed off his signature and pushed the document from him. He hated
the necessity that forced him to surrender. For himself he would have died
rather than give way, but he had to think of his daughter and of his boy
Sam who was engaged in a plot to hold up a train.

His stony eyes met those of the man across the table. "No need for me to
tell you what I think of this. A white man wouldn't have done such a
trick. It takes sheepherders and greasers to put across a thing so
damnable as dragging a woman into a feud."

Fendrick flushed angrily. "It's not my fault; you're a pigheaded obstinate
chump. I used the only weapon left me."

Kate, standing straight and tall behind her father's chair, looked at
their common foe with uncompromising scorn. "He is n