Bannister, the outlaw, eyed him unpleasantly. “Y’u certainly can so far as I am concerned. I owe y’u one, too, Mr. McWilliams. Only if y’u come of your own free will, as y’u are surely welcome to do, don’t holler if y’u’re not so welcome to leave whenever y’u take a notion.” “I’ll try and look out for that. It’s settled, then, that we ride together. When do y’u want to start?” “We can’t go any sooner than right now. I hate to take these young men from y’u, lady, but, as I said, I’ll send them back in good shape. _Adios, señorita_. Don’t forget to whom y’u belong.” He swaggered to the door and turned, leaning against the jamb with one hand again it. “I expect y’u can say those lovey-dov good-byes without my help. I’m going into the yard. If y’u want to y’u can plug me in the back through the window,” he suggested, with a sneer. “As y’u would us under similar circumstances,” retorted his cousin. “Be with y’u in five minutes,” said the foreman. “Don’t hurry. It’s a long good-bye y’u’re saying,” returned his enemy placidly. Nora and the young man who belonged to her followed him from the room, leaving Bannister and his hostess alone. “Shall I ever see you again?” Helen murmured. “I think so,” the sheepman answered. “The truth is that this opportunity falls pat. Jim and have been wanting to meet those men who are under my cousin’s influence and have a talk with them. There is no question but that the gang is disintegrating, and I believe that if we offer to mediate between its members and the Government something might be done to stop the outrages that have been terrorizing this country. My cousin can’t be reached, but I believe the rest of them, or, at least a part, can be induced either to surrender or to flee the country. Anyhow, we want to try it.” “But the danger?” she breathed. “Is less than y’u think. Their leader has not anywhere nearly the absolute power he had a few months ago. They would hardly dare do violence to a peace envoy.” “Your cousin would. I don’t believe he has any scruples.” “We shall keep an eye on him. Both of us will not sleep at the same time. Y’u may depend on me to bring your foreman safely back to y’u,” he smiled. “Oh, my foreman!” “And your foreman’s friend,” he added. “I have the best of reasons for wanting to return alive. I think y’u know them. They have to do with y’u, Miss Helen.” It had come at last, but, womanlike, she evaded the issue her heart had sought. “Yes, I know. You think it would not be fair to throw away your life in this foolish manner after I have saved it for you—how many times was it you said?” The blue eyes lifted with deceptive frankness to the gray ones. “No, that isn’t my reason. I have a better one than that. I love y’u, girl, more than anything in this world.” “And so you try to prove it to me by running into a trap set for you to take your life. That’s a selfish kind of love, isn’t it? Or it would be if I loved you.” “_Do_ y’u love me, Helen?”