his heart thump. He nodded, and smiled.

"Yes, going on eighteen," he said. "And pretty soon some young
fellow will come along, and see you, and marry you--"

"O-o-o-h-h-h!"

It was a little, strange cry that came to her lips, and Jolly
Roger saw a quick throbbing in her bare throat. and her eyes were
so wide-open and startled as she looked at him that he felt, for a
moment, as if the resolution in his soul was giving way.

"Where are you goin', Mister Roger?"

"Me? Oh, I'm not going anywhere--not for a time, at least. But
you--you'll surely be going away with some one--some day."

"I won't," she denied hotly. "I hate men! I hate all but you,
Mister Jolly Roger. And if you go away--"

"Yes, if I go away--

"I'll kill Jed Hawkins!"

Involuntarily she reached out a slim hand to the big gun on the
corner of the table.

"I'll kill 'im, if you go away," she threatened again, "He's
broken his wife, and crippled her, and if it wasn't for her I'd
have gone long ago. But I've promised, and I'm goin' to stay--