Sit down, Mr.----?"
"Wells. Jefferson Wells."
"Thank you. My name is--of no service to you. And this is my daughter
--Sarah. Run away, Sadie."
Jeff, watching the daughter, thought her confusion the prettiest thing
he had ever seen.
"You are a cowboy, I presume?" said Sillett, as Bud disappeared. Not
waiting for Jeff's answer, he went on fluently: "I'm sure I can trust
you; you have an honest face, sir. I'm collecting certain plants and
butterflies, but--I have other reasons for camping out. My daughter
has played the boy, because a boy is safe in these wild hills; an
unprotected girl might be molested. We will do what we can for you.
You, I am sure, will respect this confidence."
Sillett played his trumps boldly, not knowing that he was speaking to
a deputy-sheriff. Jeff said nothing. Sillett, after asking if the
horse had been fed and watered, followed his daughter into the hut.
Jeff groaned to himself. "Mighty soon I'll be wishing I'd never been
born!"
However, assured that he was alone, he carefully examined his six-
shooter, and began to reckon what chances there were for and against
arresting Sillett single-handed.
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