But the girl stiffened in her seat. She knew it was her opportunity to show that she was worthy of his honor and respect. "I cannot go with you," she said very quietly. "But you must," said he impatiently. "Don't you see there is no other way? I must take this train and get to my mother as soon as possible. She may not be living when I reach her if I don't." Something caught in his throat as he uttered the horrible thought that kept coming to his mind. "I know," said the girl quietly. "You must go, but I must ride on." "And why? I should like to know. Don't you see that I cannot leave you here alone? Those villains may be upon us at any minute. In fact, it is a good thing for us to board the train and get out of their miserable country as fast as steam can carry us. I am sorry you must part with your horse, for I know you are attached to it; but perhaps we can arrange to sell it to some one who will let us redeem it when we send the money out. You see I have not money enough with me to buy you a ticket. I couldn't get home myself if I hadn't my return ticket with me in my pocket. But surely the sale of both horses will bring enough to pay your way." "You are very kind, but I must not go." The red lips were firm, and the girl was sitting very erect. She looked as she had done after she had shot the bird. "But why?" "I cannot travel alone with you. It is not your custom where you come from. The woman on the ranch told me. She said you knew girls did not do that, and that you did not respect me for going alone with you. She said it was not right, and that you knew it." He looked at her impatient, angry, half ashamed that she should face him with these words. "Nonsense!" said he. "This is a case of necessity. You are to be taken care of, and I am the one to do it." "But it is not the custom among people where you live, is it?" The clear eyes faced him down, and he had to admit that it was not. "Then I can't go," she said decidedly. "But you must. If you don't, I won't go." "But you must," said the girl, "and I mustn't. If you talk that way, I'll run away from you. I've run away from one man, and I guess I can from another. Besides, you're forgetting the lady." "What lady?" "Your lady. The lady who rides in a carriage without horses." "Hang the lady!" he said inelegantly. "Do you know that the train will be along here in less than an hour, and we have a great deal to do before we can get on board? There's no use stopping to talk about this matter. We haven't time. If you will just trust things to me, I'll attend to them all, and I'll answer your questions when we get safely on the train. Every instant is precious. Those men might come around that corner ever there any minute. That's all bosh about respect. I respect you more than any woman I ever met. And it's my business to take care of you." "No, it's not your business," said the girl bravely, "and I can't let you. I'm nothing to you, you know."