"You'd lie for me, even if you thought I'd shot to kill a man?" he insisted.
"I didn't know what you had—"
"You'd take a chance like that? Why would you, ma'am?"
For a long moment their eyes, half seen to one another in those shadows, clung almost fiercely, his inquisitory, hers changing as wave followed wave of emotion through her body. She had never seen him so dominating, and he had no need to insist again that she answer. She let her head fall back with a half smile.
"Oh, I did it because it was the only thing I could do.... I did it, Tom, because I—"
He straightened sharply and cut in:
"I know, ma'am; you did it because you need me here, on the ranch."
His chest swelled with a great breath and he released her hands, stepping back and putting a hand slowly to his head.
For an instant she made no sound. Then she laughed strangely.
"Because I need you here.... Yes, that was it. That was why I lied for you." She spoke with nervous rapidity, rather breathlessly, and one hand went again to that locket, clutching it in a cold clasp. "I knew it was not like you to try to shoot a man unfairly. I didn't think there was much chance in lying. All I saw was them taking you away and leaving me here alone to face all this, without anyone I can trust, without anyone to help me. That was why I lied to them.