“All right,” she said briefly, “let go an’ I’ll come.”
Without a word the man loosed her. She went to El Rey and mounted.
Her riders mounted with her, Billy’s face frowning and set. From the steps of Baston’s store a few cowboys watched. There were no Stronghold men in town, for it was too early in the day.
In silence Kenset led out of town at a brisk canter. His lips were set, his eyes very grave.
In the short gallop that followed while they cleared the skirts of the town, he did some swift thinking, settled some heavy questions for himself.
He was about to take a decided step, to put 191 himself on record in something that did not concern his work in the Valley.
He was going directly opposite to the teaching of his craft. He was about to take sides in this thing, when he had laid down for himself rigid lines of non-partisanship. His mind was working swiftly.
If he flung himself and his knowledge of the outside world and the law into this thing he sunk abruptly the thing for which he had come to Lost Valley––the middle course, the influence for order that he had hoped to establish that he might do his work for the Government.
But he could not help it. At any or all costs he must stop this blue-eyed girl from riding north to challenge Courtrey on his doorstep.
The blood congealed about his heart at the thought.