"Don't get the notion that you gotta fight fer yer honor an' all that sort o' tripe like in the readin' books. I don't aim tuh git shot up by men in the Basin fer makin' passes at you. I like my women without no killin' fights tied ontuh them." Penny stubbornly refused to let her face indicate her feelings. She stood, chin up, listening. "First of all," Rangoon said, "I hanker tuh know why yuh rid up here." "It's none of your business." "Goin' tuh be stubborn again, eh? Now you'll git home a sight quicker if yuh answer my questions." "Why are you here?" countered Penny. "That's easy. I tell, then you tell," Rangoon grinned. "Makin' a sort o' game of it, eh? Wal, yesterday I seen smoke comin' outen the treetops. I wondered who was campin' here, but couldn't git away from the Basin tuh see. I rid up tuhday an' found some downright interestin' footprints. Now it's yore turn tuh tell jest what they mean." "And then you'll let me leave here?" "Talk first." "I used to ride up this way before I went to school. I came up yesterday and found a friendly Indian camped here." "Why?" "How do I know?" "Yuh rid up here twice." Penny hadn't credited Rangoon with such skill at reading signs. "Yes, I came up twice." "The redskin had two horses with him. What about 'em?" Penny, while hating herself for enduring the man's insolence, felt that there was no use trying to evade the truth, which after all was harmless. She told Rangoon about bringing food for the Indian's friend. When she mentioned the friend, Rangoon showed keen interest. "Who was that there friend?" "I don't know." "Where was he at?" "I don't know that either. I've told you all I know, Rangoon." The man shook his head slowly, "'Tain't enough. I got tuh know the rest." Penny was defiant. "I've told you all I know and now I'm starting back for the Basin. If I'm not there Uncle Bryant will wonder why, and I'll tell him why I was delayed. You ought to know him pretty well, Rangoon. He won't take this sort of behavior from you!" Rangoon threw back his head and laughed hard at this. "Yer uncle won't hurt _me_," he said between two roars of laughter. Penny made a sudden dive for the knotted reins. Again Rangoon was quicker. He caught her in strong hands. "Yuh ain't leavin'," he said, "till yuh tell who the redskin's friend is, an' where he's hidin'." "I tell you I don't know." Penny struggled to free herself. "I'll wring it out of yuh," Rangoon bellowed as he wrapped his long arms completely around the girl and nearly cut off her wind in a bearlike grip. "L-let m-me g-go," gasped Penny. Rangoon's grip was tighter. His arms were crushing the slim girl to him, bending her back until it hurt frightfully. His ugly face was close to her, his breath, foul with alcohol and half-rotted teeth, was hot. Penny felt nauseated, violently ill. Contact with the girl made Rangoon reckless. He seemed to forget any fear he might have had.