"Oh, Jack, dear Jack!" she panted. "You--you won't let Slade take me either, will you? You promised about Cochise. But Carmena--she says Slade--that maybe I'll have to marry him--unless you have heaps of grit. He's no better than Cochise. But at least he's not an Indian, Mena says." Lennon patted the yellow locks of the girl's back-flung head. "Never fear, Blossom. We will take care of you. Where is Carmena?" "She's still looking for Dad's old pick for you. We found the pan and spade. Mena says Dad stumbled into Dead Hole 'cause he was looking for that lost gold mine of Cripple Sim's you're after. Then he went into stock." "Was he--did he--er--brand-blot before Slade came?" "Oh, no. Slade and Cochise started the business. Cochise rounds up the hosses and cattle when Slade tells him of a good chance, and the 'Paches rustle 'em and bring 'em into the Hole and make the brands over, and then they run 'em out Hell Canon, and Slade sells 'em under his other name. Dad's share is for the feed and the use of the Hole." For the first time Lennon's suspicions of the Dead Hole partners were clarified and confirmed. The gang were not only moonshiners but horse and cattle thieves. Slade was the ringleader and brains of the gang, while Cochise and his followers were the crafty and probably murderous rustlers and brand-blotters. Farley was a more or less willing accomplice. He may have been forced into the criminal partnership, but now refused to attempt an escape. Rather than give up his share of the loot, he chose to risk the great danger to his little foster-daughter. The realization that Slade was even more of a criminal than the moonshining and bootlegging had indicated, quickened Lennon's compassion for the girl. She was so artless and clinging and helpless---- He put his free arm about her quivering shoulders. In a twinkling her hands were clasped about his neck and she was smiling up into his face in naive delight. "Dear, dear Jack!" she whispered. "You're just awful nice to me. I believe, really and truly, I love you even more than Mena." The girl was too childlike in mind to realize the meaning of her sweet emotion. Lennon made allowance for her innocence, but her allusion to Carmena startled him, though the words were ambiguous. Elsie may only have meant that she loved him more than she loved Carmena--not that she loved him more than Carmena loved him. The girl's upturned piquant face was more than tempting. Its flowerlike delicacy and prettiness and the glow in her wide blue eyes were more than he could withstand. He bent down and pressed a kiss upon her half-parted lips. "You darling!" he said. "You adorable little Blossom!" She sought shyly to draw away from him. He held her fast. The kiss had put an end to his last doubt.