I sprang forward. Defend her I must. She should not stand there, slight, lovely, brave but drooping, aflame with the helplessness of a woman alone and insulted. "Wait!" I implored. "Give her a chance. You haven't heard her story. All she wants is protection on the road. Yes, I know her, and I know the cur she's getting away from. I saw him strike her; so did Mr. Jenks. What were you intending to do? Turn her out into the night? Shame on you, sir. She says she can't go back to Benton, and if you'll be humane enough to understand why, you'll at least let her stay in your camp till morning. You've got women there who'll care for her, I hope." I felt her instant look. She spoke palpitant. "You have one man among you all. But I am going. Good-night, gentlemen." "No! Wait!" I begged. "You shall not go by yourself. I'll see you into safety." Daniel cackled. "Haw haw! What'd I tell yu, paw? Hear him?" "By gum, the boy's right," Jenks declared. "Will you go back to Benton if we take you?" he queried of her. "Are you 'feared of Montoyo? Can he shoot still, or is he laid out?" "I'll not go back to Benton, and I'm not afraid of that bully," said she. "Yes, he can shoot, still; but next time I should kill him. I hope never to see him again, or Benton either." The men murmured. "You've got spunk, anyhow," said they. And by further impulse: "Let her stay the night, Cap'n. It'll be plumb dark soon. She won't harm ye. Some o' the woman folks can take care of her." Captain Adams had been frowning sternly, his heavy face unsoftened. "Who are you, woman?" "I am the wife of a gambler named Montoyo." "Why come you here, then?" "He has been abusing me, and I shot him." "There is blood on your hands? Are you a murderess as well as a harlot?" "Shame!" cried voices, mine among them. "That's tall language." Strangely, and yet not strangely, sentiment had veered. We were Americans--and had we been English that would have made no difference. It was the Anglo-Saxon which gave utterance. She crimsoned, defiant; laughed scornfully. "You would not dare bait a man that way, sir. Blood on my hands? Not blood; oh, no! He couldn't pan out blood." "You killed him, woman?" "Not yet. He's likely fleecing the public in the Big Tent at this very moment." "And what did you expect here, in my train?" "A little manhood and a little chivalry, sir. I am going to Salt Lake and I knew of no safer way." "She jumped off a railway train, paw," bawled Daniel. "I seen her. An' she axed for Mister Jenks, fust thing." "I'll give you something to stop that yawp. Come mornin', we'll settle, young feller," my friend Jenks growled. "I did," she admitted. "I have seen Mr. Jenks; I have also seen Mr. Beeson; I have seen others of you in Benton. I was glad to know of somebody here. I rode on the construction train because it was the quickest and easiest way." "And those garments!" Captain Adams accused. "You wish to show your shape, woman, to tempt men's eyes with the flesh?"