"Shut your mouth, d----n you!" said Talman. He turned to Miss Leigh. "She ain't here, lady. He'd never let me go up there if she was there. But I'll help you find her if you'll tell me about her. You can go home now. I'll see you safe." "I am not afraid," said the girl. "My carriage is not far off," and with a pleasant bow and a word of renewed supplication to the proprietor, whose eye was resting on her with a curious, malign expression, she turned and passed back through the room, with her gaze straight ahead of her, while every eye in the room was fastened on her; and just behind her walked the squatty figure of Red Talman. A few doors off a carriage waited, and as she reached the door she turned and gave him the name of the girl she was seeking, with a little account of the circumstances of her disappearance and of her reason for thinking she might be at Gallagin's place. She held out her hand to the man behind her. "I don't know your name or what you alluded to, but if I can ever help any of your friends I shall be very glad to do what I can for them." "My name's Talman. You've already done me a turn." "'Talman!' 'Red--'! Are you the father of my little girl?" "That's me." "What I said just now I mean. If you want help, let me know, or go and see Mr. Marvel, the preacher, on the West side--you know him--and you will get it. And if you can find anything of that poor girl I shall be eternally grateful to you. Good-night." "Good-night, ma'am." The man watched the carriage until it had disappeared around the corner and then he returned to the saloon. He walked up to the bar, and Gallagin advanced to meet him. "If you are lyin' to me," he said, "you better not let me know, but you better git that gal out of your place and into her home, or the first thing you know there will be a sign on that door." The other gave a snarl. "I am puttin' you wise," said Talman. "There's trouble brewing. That's big folks lookin' for her." "I guess Coll McSheen is somethin' in this town still. But for him you wouldn' be walkin' around." "But for--! He's a has-been," said Talman. "He's shot his bolt." "You ought to know," sneered Gallagin. "I do." "That the reason you take no more jobs?" "It's a good one." "Have a drink," said Gallagin, with a sudden change of manner, and he did him the honor to lift a bottle and put it on the bar. "I ain't drinkin'. I've got work to do." "Who's your new owner?" "Never mind, he's a man. Send the gal home or you'll be pulled before twenty-four hours." "You're runnin' a Sunday-school, ain't you?" "No, but I'm done workin' for some folks. That's all. So long. Git her out of your house if she's here. Git her out of your house." He walked down the room, and as he passed a table the big man with the two women accosted him.