“No, ma’am, I’m full up. I wouldn’t take on even a yaller dog, ’specially a she one,” Jenks announced. “What your game is now I can’t tell, and I don’t propose to be eddicated to it. But you can’t travel along with me, and that’s straight talk. If you can put anything over on these other fellers, try your luck.”
“Oh!” she cried, wincing. Her hands clenched nervously, a red spot dyed either cheek as she appealed to us all. “Gentlemen! Won’t one of you help me? What are you afraid of? I can pay my way—I ask no favors—I swear to you that I’ll give no trouble. I only wish protection across.”
“Where’s Pedro? Where’s Montoyo?”
She turned quickly, facing the jeer; her two eyes blazed, the red spots deepened angrily.
“He? That snake? I shot him.” 172
“What! You? Killed him?” Exclamations broke from all quarters.
She stamped her foot.
“No. I didn’t have to. But when he tried to abuse me I defended myself. Wasn’t that right, gentlemen?”
“Right or wrong, he’ll be after you, won’t he?”
The question held a note of alarm. Her lip curled.