Brand Blotters - Page 153/180

"No--I don't love you! How could a girl marry a man she didn't care for

and didn't respect?"

"I'll make you do both before long. I'm the kind of man women love."

"You're the kind I hate," she flashed bitterly.

"I'll risk your hate, my dear," he laughed easily.

She did not look at him. Her eyes were on the horizon line, where sky and

pine tops met. He knew that she was fighting it out to a decision, and he

did not speak again.

After all, she was only a girl. Right and wrong were inextricably mixed in

her mind. It was not right to marry this man. It was not right to let the

sheriff die while she could save him. She was generous to the core. But

there was something deeper than generosity. Her banked love for Flatray

flooded her in a great cry of protest against his death. She loved him.

She loved him. Much as she detested this man, revolting as she found the

thought of being linked to him, the impulse to sacrifice herself was the

stronger feeling of the two. Deep in her heart she knew that she could not

let Jack go to his death so long as it was possible to prevent it.

Her grave eyes came back to MacQueen. "I'll have to tell you one

thing--I'll hate you worse than ever after this. Don't think I'll ever

change my mind about that. I won't."

He twirled his little mustache complacently.

"I'll have to risk that, as I said."

"You'll take me to Mesa to-day. As soon as we get there a justice of the

peace will marry us. From his house we'll go directly to father's. You

won't lie to me."

"No. I'll play out the game square, if you do."

"And after we're married, what then?"

"You may stay at home until I get this ransom business settled. Then we'll

go to Sonora."

"How do you know I'll go?"

"I'll trust you."

"Then it's a bargain."

Without another word, they turned back to rejoin the group by the cabin.

Before they had gone a dozen steps she stopped.

"What about Mr. Flatray? You will free him, of course."

"Yes. I'll take him right out due north of here, about four miles. He'll

be blindfolded. There we'll leave him, with instructions how to reach

Mesa."

"I'll go with you," she announced promptly.

"What for?"

"To make sure that you do let him go--alive."