“Jane!... Jane!” softly called Lassiter.
She answered somehow.
“It’s all right. Venters got away. I thought mebbe you’d heard that shot, en’ I was worried some.”
“What was it—who fired?”
“Well—some fool feller tried to stop Venters out there in the sage—an’ he only stopped lead!... I think it’ll be all right. I haven’t seen or heard of any other fellers round. Venters’ll go through safe. An’, Jane, I’ve got Bells saddled, an’ I’m going to trail Venters. Mind, I won’t show myself unless he falls foul of somebody an’ needs me. I want to see if this place where he’s goin’ is safe for him. He says nobody can track him there. I never seen the place yet I couldn’t track a man to. Now, Jane, you stay indoors while I’m gone, an’ keep close watch on Fay. Will you?”
“Yes! Oh yes!”
“An’ another thing, Jane,” he continued, then paused for long—“another thing—if you ain’t here when I come back—if you’re gone—don’t fear, I’ll trail you—I’ll find you out.”
“My dear Lassiter, where could I be gone—as you put it?” asked Jane, in curious surprise.
“I reckon you might be somewhere. Mebbe tied in an old barn—or corralled in some gulch—or chained in a cave! Milly Erne was—till she give in! Mebbe that’s news to you.... Well, if you’re gone I’ll hunt for you.”
“No, Lassiter,” she replied, sadly and low. “If I’m gone just forget the unhappy woman whose blinded selfish deceit you repaid with kindness and love.”