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〃A hound bit me；〃 explained the sheepman。
〃Y'u don't say！ I reckon y'u oughtn't to have got in its way。 Did y'u kill
it？〃
〃Not yet。〃
〃That was surely a mistake； for it's liable to bite again。〃
The girl felt a sudden sickness at his honeyed cruelty； but immediately
pulled herself together。 For whatever fiendish intention might be in his
mind she meant to frustrate it。
〃I hear you are of a musical turn； Mr。 Bannister。 Won't you play for
us？〃
She had by chance found his weak spot。 Instantly his eyes lit up。 He
stepped across to the piano and began to look over the music； though not
so intently that he forgot to keep under his eye the man on the lounge。
〃H'm！ Mozart； Grieg； Chopin； Raff； Beethoven。 Y'u ce'tainly have the
music here； I wonder if y'u have the musician。〃 He looked her over with a
bold； unscrupulous gaze。 〃It's an old trick to have classical music on the
rack and ragtime in your soul。 Can y'u play these？〃
〃You will have to be the judge of that；〃 she said。
He selected two of Grieg's songs and invited her to the piano。 He knew
instantly that the Norwegian's delicate fancy and lyrical feeling had found
in her no inadequate medium of expression。 The peculiar emotional
quality of the song 〃I Love Thee〃 seemed to fill the room as she played。
When she swung round on the stool at its conclusion it was to meet a
shining…eyed； musical enthusiast instead of the villain she had left five
minutes earlier。
〃Y'u CAN play；〃 was all he said； but the manner of it spoke volumes。
For nearly an hour he kept her at the piano； and when at last he let her
stop playing he seemed a man transformed。
〃You have given me a great pleasure； a very great pleasure； Miss
Messiter；〃 he thanked her warmly； his Western idiom sloughed with his
villainy for the moment。 〃It has been a good many months since I have
heard any decent music。 With your permission I shall come again。〃
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Her hesitation was imperceptible。 〃Surely； if you wish。〃 She felt it
would be worse than idle to deny the permission she might not be able to
refuse。
With perfect grace he bowed； and as he wheeled away met with a little
shock of remembrance the gaze of his cousin。 For a long moment their
eyes bored into each other。 Neither yielded the beat of an eyelid； but it was
the outlaw that spoke。
〃I had forgotten y'u。 That's strange； too because it was for y'u I came。
I'm going to take y'u home with me。
〃Alive or dead？〃 asked the other serenely。
〃Alive； dear Ned。〃
〃Same old traits cropping out again。 There was always something
feline about y'u。 I remember when y'u were a boy y'u liked to torment wild
animals y'u had trapped。〃
〃I play with larger game nowand find it more interesting。〃
〃Just so。 Miss Messiter； I shall have to borrow a pony from y'u； unless…
…〃 He broke off and turned indifferently to the bandit。
〃Yes； I brought a hawss along with me for y'u；〃 replied the other to the
unvoiced question。 〃I thought maybe y'u might want to ride with us。〃
〃But he can't ride。 He couldn't possibly。 It would kill him；〃 the girl
broke out。
〃I reckon not。〃 The man from the Shoshones glanced at his victim as
he drew on his gauntlets。 〃He's a heap tougher than y'u think。〃
〃But it will。 If he should ride now； whyIt would be the same as
murder；〃 she gasped。 〃You wouldn't make him ride now？〃
〃Didn't y'u hear him order his hawss； ma'am？ He's keen on this ride。
Of course he don't have to go unless he wants to。〃 The man turned his
villainous smile on his cousin； and the latter interpreted it to mean that if
he preferred； the point of attack might be shifted to the girl。 He might go
or he might stay。 But if he stayed the mistress of the Lazy D would have to
pay for his decision。
〃No； I'll ride；〃 he said at once。
Helen Messiter had missed the meaning of that Marconied message
that flashed between them。 She set her jaw with decision。 〃Well； you'll not。
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It's perfectly ridiculous。 I won't hear of such a thing。〃
〃Y'u seem right welcome。 Hadn't y'u better stay； Ned？〃 murmured the
outlaw； with smiling eyes that mocked。
〃Of course he had。 He couldn't ride a mile not half a mile。 The idea is
utterly preposterous。〃
The sheepman got to his feet unsteadily。 〃 I'll do famously。〃
〃I won't have it。 Why are you so foolish about going？ He said you
didn't need to go。 You can't ride any more than a baby could chop down
that pine in the yard。〃
〃I'm a heap stronger than y'u think。〃
〃Yes； you are！〃 she derided。 〃It's nothing but obstinacy。 Make him
stay；〃 she appealed to the outlaw。
〃Am I my cousin's keeper？〃 he drawled。 〃I can advise him to stay； but
I can't make him。〃
〃Well； I can。 I'm his nurse； and I say he sha'n't stir a foot out of this
housenot a foot。〃
The wounded man smiled quietly； admiring the splendid energy of her。
〃I'm right sorry to leave y'u so unceremoniously。〃
〃You're not going。〃 She wheeled on the outlaw 〃I don't understand this
at all。 But if you want him you can find him here when you come again。
Put him on parole and leave him here。 I'll not be a party to murder by
letting him go。〃
〃Y'u think I'm going to murder him？〃 he smiled。
〃I think he cannot stand the riding。 It would kill him。〃
〃A haidstrong man is bound to have his way。 He seems hell…bent on
riding。 All the docs say the outside of a hawss is good for the inside of a
man。 Mebbe it'll be the making of him。〃
〃I won't have it。 I'll rouse the whole countryside against you。 Why
don't you parole him till he is better？〃 〃All right。 We'll leave it that way；〃
announced the man。 〃I'd hate to hurt your tender feelings after such a
pleasant evening。 Let him give his parole to come to me whenever I send
for him； no matter where he may be； to quit whatever he is doing right that
instant； and come on the jump。 If he wants to leave it that way； we'll call it
a bargain。〃
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Again the rapier…thrust of their ey