"I didn't know yez had company, Miss 'Lissie," she had apologized.
"This gentleman will stay to dinner," Melissy had announced.
At luncheon Melissy had not eaten with him; but at dinner it was
necessary, on account of the cook, that she sit down, too. The meal had
scarce begun when Kate came beaming in.
"Shure, Miss 'Lissie, there's another young gentleman at the door. It's
Mr. Bellamy. I tould him to come right in. He's washing his face first."
Melissy rose, white as a sheet. "All right, Kate."
But as soon as the cook had left the room she turned to the outlaw. "What
shall I do? What shall I do?"
Little whimsical imps of mischief shone in his eyes. "Have him in and
introduce him to your husband, my dear."
"You must go--quick. If I don't get rid of him, you'll be able to slip out
the back way and get to the depot. He doesn't know you are here."
MacQueen sat back and gave her his easy, reckless smile. "Guess again.
Bellamy can't drive me out."
She caught her hands together. "Oh, go--go! There will be trouble. You
wouldn't kill him before my very eyes!"
"Not unless he makes the first play. It's up to him." He laughed with the
very delight of it. "I'd as lief settle my account with him right now.
He's meddled too much in my affairs."
She broke out in a cry of distress: "You wouldn't! I've treated you fair.
I could have betrayed you, and I didn't. Aren't you going to play square
with me?"
He nodded. "All right. Show him in. He won't know me except as Lieutenant
O'Connor. It was too dark last night to see my face."
Bellamy came into the room.
"How's Jack?" Melissy asked quickly as she caught his hand.
"Good as new. And you?"
"All right."
The outlaw stirred uneasily in his seat. His vanity objected to another
man holding the limelight while he was present.
Melissy turned. "I think you have never met Lieutenant O'Connor, Mr.
Bellamy. Lieutenant--Mr. Bellamy."
They shook hands. MacQueen smiled. He was enjoying himself.
"Glad to meet you, Mr. Bellamy. You and Flatray have won the honors
surely. You beat us all to it, sir. As I rode in this mornin', everybody
was telling how you rounded up the outlaws. Have you caught MacQueen
himself?"
"Not yet. We have reason to believe that he rode within ten miles of town
this morning before he cut across to the railroad. The chances are that
he will try to board a train at some water tank in the dark. We're having
them all watched. I came in to telephone all stations to look out for
him."