Part 22 (2/2)

”Mr. Bowles,” she said with a graciousness that fairly captivated the brigand, ”we cannot take possession of your house unless you promise to join us at supper. Will you sit here by me, and Minnie, you would rather sit with the girls, that is quite plain? Come, Mr. Moore.”

There was not room for all the party at the table, however, and Minnie ate her supper with Billie and Nancy on a bench by the stove.

With a sheepish smile on his face Jim Bowles sat down obediently at the table and for the first time in his life engaged in an agreeable conversation on terms of equality with a real lady.

”If everybody was as nice as you, ma'am,” he said, ”I think I would be willing to-to-well, give all this up. It's excitin' but it's dangerous, and it ain't respectable.”

”Mr. Bowles,” said Miss Helen, ”I believe you are an honest man at heart. No man could have such a devoted wife and not have some good in him. The moment you decide to give up this-this wild life and are looking for honest employment, I shall be glad to help you. There is my card. I have only one thing to ask in return: that you see us safely through the mountains to-morrow.”

”Granted!” cried Jim, taking the card she offered.

Minnie, who had left the bench and was standing near Miss Campbell's chair, with a rapt expression on her face, cried out fiercely:

”If you only would, Jim! If you only would!”

Suddenly Jim stood up and stretched out his hand for silence.

”Listen!” he whispered.

In the distance came the sound of horses' hoofs ringing out on the hard mountain road.

The door opened and one of the desperadoes thrust in his head.

”Beat it, Jim! Git to the cave! They're comin'.”

”Ladies, remember your promise!” cried Jim, and with one bound he was out of the house and gone.

And then, as if this were not enough to shatter their nervous system into little bits, Minnie flung herself on the floor in front of Miss Campbell in a perfect pa.s.sion of tears.

”You won't give him up!” she cried, beating her hands together in misery. ”You ain't goin' fer to give him up?”

Miss Campbell looked at Daniel Moore, but he refused to advise even by a glance.

Billie kneeled down beside Minnie and put her arm around the poor girl's neck, while she looked appealingly at her cousin.

”My poor child,” said Miss Campbell, after a very perceptible pause, ”we won't tell on your husband. He is certainly a very lawless character, but maybe he'll reform if he has a chance.”

”Thank you! Thank you!” cried Minnie, kissing Miss Campbell's small hand with all the fervor of her warm nature.

”Now, Minnie, go about your work as if nothing had happened. The girls will help you, and leave the rest to me. Well,” she observed in a low voice to Daniel Moore, who was standing by the window, looking anxiously out, ”if any one had told me this morning that this evening I should be protecting a train robber from the law, I should never have believed them in the world. But things seem to happen out in the West that never could happen in the East.”

At that moment fully half a dozen hors.e.m.e.n dashed up to the door.

”Go and sit down,” whispered Daniel Moore. ”I think we might protect this poor girl if we can, wrong as it would seem to the law.”

The door was flung open and several pistols were pointed into the room.

”Don't move! Keep still, everybody, or you know where you're at!”

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