" he reiterated slowly. "I ought to be
able to help you."

"Naw, you can't!" scoffed Maudlin. "My pa and me's tried for a long
time, but there ain't nothin' doin' with Jinnie. She's a sure devil,
Jinnie is."

Jordan's blood tingled in anticipation.

"Is that the girl's name?" he queried.

"Yes, she's a niece of a cobbler up the track yonder, and as pretty a
little minx as walks Paradise Road. If I had 'er I'd fix her. I'd beat
her till she minded me, I c'n tell y' that!"

"I believe beating's the way to subdue most women," said Morse,
lighting a cigarette. But as he said this, a slight smile passed over
his face. He thought of Molly Merriweather in connection with the
man's logic.

"It's the way pa done to my stepmother," observed Maudlin presently.
"She was a onery woman as ever you see, but pa one day just licked
her, and then licked 'er every day till now she don't dast but mind
'im.... I'd do that with Jinnie if I had 'er."

Morse watched rings of smoke curl upward in the summer air, breaking
among the branches of the trees.

"Why don't you steal 'er?" he demanded at length.

Bates' lower jaw fell down, showing discolored teeth. He stared at his
inquisitor in consternation. Then he dropped back into his former
slovenly attitude.

"I never thought o' that," said he.

"I'll help you," offered Morse, carelessly, brushing ashes from his
coat lapel.

Maudlin turned his eyes slowly from their straight ahead position
until they came directly upon the handsome face of the other man. Then
the two looked long and steadily at each other.

"What're you drivin' at?" blurted Bates.

"Only that I'm also interested in getting Jinnie away from Grandoken.
The fact is I hate King, and I think it's a good way to get even with
him."

He refrained, however, from mentioning he was Jinnie's relative.

"D'you have me in mind when you come here?" questioned Bates.

"No! But I felt sure there'd be some young buck round here who'd
fallen in love with the girl before this. And I found you without
asking----"

"I'd make her beg me to marry her after I'd had 'er a week or two,"
interrupted Maudlin, with dilating pupils. "How could we steal 'er?"

"Just steal 'er, I said," replied Morse.

"And I said, 'How?'"

Morse waited a minute until Bates repeated once more, "How, mister?"
then he asked:

"Can you run a motor car?"

"No, but my pa can."

"My God! You musn't mention this to any one, not even your father.
I'll