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"An' shore, miss," he had concluded, in a hoarse whisper, "we-all

know you ain't Kells's wife Thet bandit wouldn't marry no woman

He's a woman-hater He was famous fer thet over in California He's

run off with you--kidnapped you, thet's shoreAn' Gulden swears

he shot his own men an' was in turn shot by you Thet bullet-hole in

his back was full of powder There's liable to be a muss-up any

tiht when

they're all asleep I'll git grub an' hosses, an' take you off to

soit home"

Joan only shook her head Even if she could have felt trust in

Wood--and she was of half a mind to believe him--it was too late

Whatever befell herit she could

save Jiht

Since this wild experience of Joan's had begun she had been sick so

many times with raw and naked emotions hitherto unknown to her, that

she believed she could not feel another new fear or torture But

these strange sensations grehat they had been fed upon