Page:Ritchie - Trails to Two Moons.djvu/314

 "I love this man, Zang—love him more than I know, and I must fight for his life because it belongs to me. Yes, yes," she answered the question that was rounding his lips, "I know you saw me fight him—saw him try to break my arm. That 's when I began to love him, Zang. I can't explain it. Maybe if you had ever fought me—wrestled with me, Zang—tried to break my arm—maybe then I would have loved you. I"

"Did Original steal you from the jail and have you hid out?" the big fellow demanded with a sudden access of jealousy. Hilma's eyes widened.

"Steal me—no! I ran away from the sheriff's house because I thought I was arrested; then I stole Original's horse and started for home. He found me when I was lost and—and put me on the right road and left me. All the time you were in jail."

Zang slowly shook his head and smiled wanly.

"It 's a mix-up, Hilma,—a whale of a mix-up. But it seems to be comin' out right for you, leastways. If I 've lost you, girl, reckon it 's because I did n't savvy how to rope an' brand a wild one like you. Kin I"