“Not exactly. I was looking for Miss Mackenzie. I cut her trail about six miles from the Rocking Chair and followed it where she wandered around. The trail led directly away from the ranch toward the mountains. That didn’t make me any easy in my mind. So I just jogged along and elected myself an investigating committee. I arrived some late, but here I am, right side up—and so hearty welcome that my friend Cork won’t hear of my leaving at all. He don’t do a thing but entertain me—never lets his attention wander. Oh, I’m the welcome guest, all right. No doubt about that.”
Wolf Leroy turned to Alice. “I think you had better go to your room,” he said gently.
“Oh, no, no; let me stay,” she implored. “You would never—you would never—” The words died on her white lips, but the horror in her eyes finished the question.
He met her gaze fully, and answered her doggedly. “You’re not in this, Miss Mackenzie. It’s between him and me. I shan’t allow even you to interfere.”
“But—oh, it is horrible! for two minutes.”
He shook his head.
“You must! Please.”
“What use?”
Let me see you alone
Her troubled gaze shifted to the strong, brown, sun-baked face of the man who had put himself in this deadly peril to save her. His keen, blue-gray eyes, very searching and steady, met hers with a courage she thought splendid, and her heart cried out passionately against the sacrifice.