“Catch him alive!” Friend and foe were alert.
“And when all’s fixed and done—when Burke’s trapped,” Greyson said, “what you going to do—for me, Jed?”
This was a startling, new development.
“I didn’t reckon yo’ war doin’ this—fur pay!” Jed faltered. Then Greyson came forth:
“No pay, Jed. Gawd knows I do my duty as I see it. But being keen about duty, I see more than one duty. When you catch and cage Lawson, Jed, I want to be something closer to you than a friend.”
“Closer than—” Jed gasped.
“And duty drives me to confess to you, Jed, that the happiness of a lady is at stake.”
Jed merely gaped now. Visions of Nella-Rose made him giddy and speechless.
“The day you put Lawson in jail, Jed, that day I’ll give you the hand of my daughter. She loves you; she has confessed! You shall come here and share—everything! The hour that Burke is convicted—Marg is yours!”
“Marg!” The word came on a gasp.