"They'll make friends with Lahoma, all right, and invite her home
with 'em. That's the way I 'low to set her out in the big world.
Lahoma don't know my plans and neither do they, but I was never a
man to make my plans knowed when I was going to hold up people. Of
course I'M speaking in a figger, but in a figger I may say I've held
up several, in my day."

"THEY won't invite Lahoma to Chicago, not if they are the right
sort."

"They will invite Lahoma to Chicago," retorted Willock firmly, "and
they are the right sort. Wait and see; and when you have saw,
render due honor to your Uncle Brick."



CHAPTER XIII
A SURE-ENOUGH MAN


"Pardner, I sure am glad to see you--put 'er there again! How are
you feeling, anyhow? Look mighty tough and wiry, I do say; Here,
Bill!" Willock raised his voice to a powerful shout, "Bill! come
and see what's blowed in with the tumbleweed and tickle-grass. A
sure-enough man, that's what I call him, and me to fight if any
dispute's made to the title, according."

The tall bronzed man who was leading his horse along the road
entering the mountain horseshoe, smiled with a touch of gravity in
the light of his gray eyes. Willock found his chin more resolute,