Alaire wet her lips. "Then you--shot him?"

Law laughed grimly, almost mockingly. "Say! He must be a favorite
of yours?"

"N-no! I hardly knew the fellow. But--did you?"

"I didn't say I shot him," he told her, gruffly. "I warned him
first, and he turned on me--blew smoke in my face. Then he took to
the brush, afoot, and--I cut down on him once more to help him
along."

"He got away?"

"I reckon so."

"Oh, oh!" Alaire's tone left no doubt of her relief. "He was
always a good man--"

"Good? Didn't he steal my horse? Didn't he aim to get me at the
first chance and free his compadre? That's why he wanted his
Winchester. Say! I reckon he--needs killin' about as much as
anybody I know."

"I can't understand it." Alaire sat down weakly. "One of my men,
too."

"This fellow behaved himself while I was gone, eh?" Law jerked his
head in Anto's direction. "I was afraid he--he'd try something. If