“Well, the trial is past now. Mac can talk if he wants to. Why don’t you go to him?” he asked.
“I’d rather you would tell me.”
He grinned. “Nothing doing to-day, my dear.”
Then Falkner met one of the surprises of his life. Fire flashed from this slim slip of a girl. Her eyes attacked him fearlessly.
“You wouldn’t dare say that if you and Rowan were free,” she blazed.
He let slip a startled oath. “That’s right. I wouldn’t.” The cow-puncher laughed hardily. He could afford to make this admission. Nobody had ever questioned his courage. “All right, ma’am. Objection sustained, as the judge said when Haight kicked on any answer to one of his fool questions. I’ll take back that ‘my dear.’ ”
“And will you tell me what I want to know?”
“That’s another proposition. You got to give me better reasons than you have yet why I should. Do you reckon I’m going to put my cards down on the table while you pinch yours up close? What’s the game? What are you aiming to do with what I tell you?”
“Nothing. I just want to know.”
“What for?”