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Lance looked at her。 She was scarcely more than fifteen； slight
and lithe； with a boyish flatness of breast and back。 Her flushed
face and bare throat were absolutely peppered with minute brown
freckles； like grains of spent gunpowder。 Her eyes； which were
large and gray； presented the singular spectacle of being also
freckled；at least they were shot through in pupil and cornea
with tiny spots like powdered allspice。 Her hair was even more
remarkable in its tawny； deer…skin color； full of lighter shades；
and bleached to the faintest of blondes on the crown of her head；
as if by the action of the sun。 She had evidently outgrown her
dress； which was made for a smaller child； and the too brief skirt
disclosed a bare； freckled； and sandy desert of shapely limb； for
which the darned stockings were equally too scant。 Lance let his
grasp slip from her thin wrist to her hand； and then with a good…
humored gesture tossed it lightly back to her。
She did not retreat； but continued looking at him in a half…surly
embarrassment。
〃I ain't a bit frightened；〃 she said； 〃I'm not going to run away；
don't you fear。〃
〃Glad to hear it；〃 said Lance； with unmistakable satisfaction； 〃but
why did you go for my revolver？〃
She flushed again and was silent。 Presently she began to kick the
earth at the roots of the tree； and said； as if confidentially to
her foot；
〃I wanted to get hold of it before you did。〃
〃You did？and why？〃
〃Oh； you know why。〃
Every tooth in Lance's head showed that he did； perfectly。 But he
was discreetly silent。
〃I didn't know what you were hiding there for；〃 she went on； still
addressing the tree； 〃and；〃 looking at him sideways under her white
lashes； 〃I didn't see your face。〃
This subtle compliment was the first suggestion of her artful sex。
It actually sent the blood into the careless rascal's face； and for
a moment confused him。 He coughed。 〃So you thought you'd freeze
on to that six…shooter of mine until you saw my hand？〃
She nodded。 Then she picked up a broken hazel branch； fitted it
into the small of her back； threw her tanned bare arms over the
ends of it； and expanded her chest and her biceps at the same
moment。 This simple action was supposed to convey an impression at
once of ease and muscular force。
〃Perhaps you'd like to take it now；〃 said Lance； handing her the
pistol。
〃I've seen six…shooters before now；〃 said the girl； evading the
proffered weapon and its suggestion。 〃Dad has one； and my brother
had two derringers before he was half as big as me。〃
She stopped to observe in her companion the effect of this capacity
of her family to bear arms。 Lance only regarded her amusedly。
Presently she again spoke abruptly：
〃What made you eat that grass； just now？〃
〃Grass！〃 echoed Lance。
〃Yes； there；〃 pointing to the yerba buena。
Lance laughed。 〃I was hungry。 Look！〃 he said； gayly tossing some
silver into the air。 〃Do you think you could get me some breakfast
for that； and have enough left to buy something for yourself？〃
The girl eyed the money and the man with half…bashful curiosity。
〃I reckon Dad might give ye suthing if he had a mind ter； though ez
a rule he's down on tramps ever since they run off his chickens。
Ye might try。〃
〃But I want YOU to try。 You can bring it to me here。〃
The girl retreated a step； dropped her eyes； and； with a smile that
was a charming hesitation between bashfulness and impudence； said：
〃So you ARE hidin'； are ye？〃
〃That's just it。 Your head's level。 I am；〃 laughed Lance
unconcernedly。
〃Yur ain't one o' the McCarty gangare ye？〃
Mr。 Lance Harriott felt a momentary moral exaltation in declaring
truthfully that he was not one of a notorious band of mountain
freebooters known in the district under that name。
〃Nor ye ain't one of them chicken lifters that raided Henderson's
ranch？ We don't go much on that kind o' cattle yer。〃
〃No；〃 said Lance； cheerfully。
〃Nor ye ain't that chap ez beat his wife unto death at Santa
Clara？〃
Lance honestly scorned the imputation。 Such conjugal ill treatment
as he had indulged in had not been physical； and had been with
other men's wives。
There was a moment's further hesitation on the part of the girl。
Then she said shortly：
〃Well； then； I reckon you kin come along with me。〃
〃Where？〃 asked Lance。
〃To the ranch；〃 she replied simply。
〃Then you won't bring me anything to eat here？〃
〃What for？ You kin get it down there。〃 Lance hesitated。 〃I tell
you it's all right；〃 she continued。 〃I'll make it all right with
Dad。〃
〃But suppose I reckon I'd rather stay here；〃 persisted Lance； with
a perfect consciousness； however； of affectation in his caution。
〃Stay away then；〃 said the girl coolly； 〃only as Dad perempted this
yer woods〃
〃PRE…empted；〃 suggested Lance。
〃Per…empted or pre…emp…ted； as you like；〃 continued the girl
scornfully；〃ez he's got a holt on this yer woods； ye might ez
well see him down thar ez here。 For here he's like to come any
minit。 You can bet your life on that。〃
She must have read Lance's amusement in his eyes； for she again
dropped her own with a frown of brusque embarrassment。 〃Come
along； then； I'm your man；〃 said Lance； gayly； extending his hand。
She would not accept it； eying it； however； furtively； like a horse
about to shy。 〃Hand me your pistol first；〃 she said。
He handed it to her with an assumption of gayety。 She received it
on her part with unfeigned seriousness； and threw it over her
shoulder like a gun。 This combined action of the child and
heroine； it is quite unnecessary to say； afforded Lance undiluted
joy。
〃You go first；〃 she said。
Lance stepped promptly out； with a broad grin。 〃Looks kinder as if
I was a prisoner； don't it？〃 he suggested。
〃Go on； and don't fool；〃 she replied。
The two fared onward through the wood。 For one moment he
entertained the facetious idea of appearing to rush frantically
away； 〃just to see what the girl would do；〃 but abandoned it。
〃It's an even thing if she wouldn't spot me the first pop；〃 he
reflected admiringly。
When they had reached the open hillside； Lance stopped inquiringly。
〃This way；〃 she said； pointing toward the summit； and in quite an
opposite direction to the valley where he had heard the voices； one
of which he now recognized as hers。 They skirted the thicket for a
few moments； and then turned sharply into a trail which began to
dip toward a ravine leading to the valley。
〃Why do you have to go all the way round？〃 he asked。
〃WE don't；〃 the girl replied with emphasis； 〃there's a shorter
cut。〃
〃Where？〃
〃That's telling；〃 she answered shortly。
〃What's your name？〃 asked Lance； after a steep scramble and a drop
into the ravine。
〃Flip。〃
〃What？〃
〃Flip。〃
〃I mean your first name；your front name。