Page:Edison Marshall--Shepherds of the wild.djvu/278

270 he kept close watch of the fire as it crept down toward the floor of the canyon.

Her eyes looked straight into his. Yet the fear crept at her heart—for if indeed he intended to let her go, none but the most dreadful reason occurred to her why she should be tied. And in truth, the spirit of Landy Fargo was far distant now. José knew perfectly that before she could reach a 'phone and men be secured to battle at this last stand against the fire, the hungry little tongues would have already encompassed the canyon. He only knew that he was shivering strangely, and that he was not yet ready to let her go. "Untie my hands," she commanded.

"I will—quick enough. I just thought we'd talk a while first. It ain't often I get to talk to a pretty girl like you "

There in the path of the advancing flame the words were ineffably strange and terrible to the girl,—like some demoniac torture of a shadow-world. "And you're not going to have a chance now," she told him clearly. "If you want to leave me here in the track of the fire, it's in your power to do it—but it won't make me bend to you, or plead with you, or treat you any different than I've ever treated you."

The man stiffened. She saw the gleam of his teeth through his thin lips. "Don't be too sure. I was told to let you go, but nothin's goin' to happen to me if I don't. Your position ain't what it used to be, Alice, and maybe I'm a