“So I took a second thought and figured two heads was better than one,” he ended. “Maybe it’ll be as well to stir up Tom Coats and notify the other county officers, so they’ll all be on the lookout for him if he hides out. If he does happen to be in Big Sandy or rides in here I’ll drop my own loop on him. If he don’t know we got Thatcher he’ll feel safe to go anywhere.” “Hm--m.” Sutherland nursed his chin in one hand, twirled and tugged by turns at his mustache. He looked first at Robin, then at his daughter. His expression told nothing. He rose at last. “You’ve done a good stroke of business, kid,” he said. “I’ll amble over an’ send a wire to Fort Benton. You stay here.” “I ought to stable my horse,” Robin took thought. “I sure rode him hard.” “He’ll keep. Block S saddle stock is used to hard ridin’,” Sutherland observed. “I won’t be gone but a minute or two. I want to talk this over with you some more. You stay right here till I come back. I guess May won’t mind.” “All right,” Robin agreed. He had to suppress a self-conscious grin at the last sentence. He didn’t know why Sutherland took that tack, unless May had worked some magic on him. But Robin certainly didn’t think she would mind. May flung herself into his arms the moment her father was out the door. “Glad to see me?” Robin asked with a tender smile. She nodded, her head on his breast. “I worry about you now I know you’re this side of the river.” She lifted her head to look into his face. “That man is deadly--deadly and despicable. Ivy Mayne came up to the ranch one day last week.” “Yes? I met her at my old homestead one morning. She was pretty wild then. She started off toward the Block S, but I didn’t think she’d go through.” “She was nearly insane with fear and grief,” May told him soberly. “And she blurted out all her troubles to dad and me when she found Mark wasn’t there. Did she tell you what was wrong, Robin?” He nodded. “Poor thing! She’s a queer, awfully intense creature, and foolish--but it is rather terrible for her, Robin. I’m so sorry.” “So am I,” Robin murmured. “But I can’t do anything about it, that I know of.” “I can’t do much but I’m going to do what I can. Ivy’s here now.” “Here in your house?” “Yes,” May nodded. “In one of the bedrooms. I’ve got her calmed down from that frenzy she was in. I’m going to take her away to Helena. Her father doesn’t know. He’s a poor stick anyway. He’s been raving to dad all morning about this wretched cattle business. And----” She stopped suddenly. Her arms tightened about Robin. “You’re an angel,” he whispered. “You were fond of her, weren’t you, Robin?” she muttered. “That was before I knew you,” Robin answered slowly. “And I guess it wouldn’t have amounted to anything anyway. Mark was always in her mind more or less. I did like her, though. You’ve liked other men before you ever saw me, I guess, hon?”