"You!" He stared at her in astonishment. "You! Why, it was you sent me
out to run him down."

"I didn't tell you that I wanted you to murder him, did I?"

"I guess there's a lot between him and you that you didn't tell me," he
jeered.

Slim grinned, not at all maliciously. "I reckon that's right. I don't
need to ask you now, Phyllie, who it was I found with you in the
kitchen."

"He was just going," she protested.

"Sure, and I busted into the good-bys right inconsiderate."

"Go ahead, Slim. I'm only a girl. You and Brill say what you like," she
flashed at him, the nails of her fingers biting into the palms of her
hands.

"Only don't say it out loud," cautioned a new voice. Jim Yeager was at
the door, and he was looking very pointedly at Healy.

"I say what I think, Jim," Brill retorted promptly.

"And you think?"

Healy slammed his fist down hard on the counter. "I think things ain't
right when a Malpais girl helps a hawss thief and a rustler to escape
twice."