Then he swung quickly out through the Golden, Cloud, and Lola slipped limply down on a couch and covered her ashen cheeks with her hands.
“Oh, Buck!” she whispered brokenly, “Oh, Buck! Buck!”
Courtrey went straight home, still, cold, thinking hard. His henchmen left him in solitude after the first word or two. They knew him well, and that something was brewing.
At midnight that night he roused Wylackie Bob, Black Bart and the man who was known as Arizona, and the four of them went out on the levels for a secret talk.
The next day the master of the Stronghold rode away on Bolt. As he left, Ellen, standing in the doorway like a pale ghost, lifted her tragic eyes to his face with the look of a faithful dog.
“Where you goin’, Buck?” she asked timidly.
“Off,” said the man shortly.
“Ain’t you goin’––goin’ to kiss me?”
He laughed cruelly.