Her eyes widened. “You—fell off the cliff!” she gasped. “It’s a wonder— But is this the only place you’re hurt?”
His lips twisted in a grim smile. “Oh, no! I’ve got a sprained ankle and what feels like a broken rib, though it may be only bruises. But as you’re thinking, I’m darned lucky to get off alive. I must have struck a ledge or something part way down, but how I managed from there I haven’t the least idea.”
Hands clenched together in her lap, she stared at him in dismay.
“I thought perhaps you might be strong enough in a little while to ride back with me to the ranch. I—I could help you mount, and we could go very slowly. But of course that’s impossible. I’d better start at once and bring back some of the men.”
She made a move to rise, but he stopped her with a quick, imperative gesture. “No, you mustn’t,” he said firmly. “That won’t do at all. I can’t go to the ranch.” He paused, his forehead wrinkled thoughtfully. “You may not have guessed it, but Lynch and I don’t pull together at all,” he finished, with a whimsical intonation. 221
“But surely that wouldn’t make any difference—now!” she protested.
“Only the difference that he’d have me just where he wanted me,” he retorted. He was regarding her with a steady, questioning stare, and presently he gave a little sigh. “I’ll have to tell you something I didn’t mean to,” he said. “In my opinion Tex Lynch is pretty much of a scoundrel. He knows I know it, and there isn’t anything he wouldn’t do to shut my mouth—for good.”
To his amazement, instead of showing the indignation he expected, the girl merely stared at him in surprise.
“What!” she cried. “You believe that, too?”
“I’m sure of it. But I thought you trusted—”