“I think young Stone and Minnie Pine can answer that, since that is why we’re here. Speak, Stone.”
The rider shook his head.
“Let Minnie,” he said, “she was first to know about it.”
All eyes turned to the Pomo girl, among those of Lawrence Arnold, still holding in his arms the body of Kate Cathrew, and they were cruel as a hawk’s.
“I listened,” said Minnie calmly, “I always listened when there was devil’s talk at Sky Line. I’ve heard much. This time the Sun Woman yonder stood in the Inner Room where they had brought her, and gave back in their teeth the words of the Boss and the Master. They wanted her to sign her mother’s name to a paper which would give to Kate Cathrew the homestead on Nameless——”
“Great Scott!” said Bossick again.
“She wouldn’t,” went on Minnie, “and so they gave her to Sud Provine to keep all night in Rainbow’s Pot, with Big Basford standing guard outside.”
There was the sound of an indrawn breath from Fair.
“We know Provine, Rod Stone and me,” continued the girl, “and so we went to Cordova for help to get her out. We had to wait so long to get away from Sky Line——”
“But they came, men,” cut in the bearded man, “don’t forget that in the final settlement. They dared Arnold and Cattle Kate to save a woman’s honor—and that’s no small thing.”