Page 113 of 439

"He did kill my brother. He told me so himself." Her voice

carried a sob for an instant, but she went on resolutely. "What

has that to do with it? Isn't there any law in Texas? Hasn't he

been captured? And isn't he being taken back to his punishment?"

"He told you so himself!" the man echoed. "When did he tell you?

When did you see him?"

"I was alone with him for twelve hours in the desert."

"Alone with you?" His puzzled face showed how he was trying to

take this in, "I don't understand. How could he be alone with

you?"

"I thought he was my brother and I was helping him to escape from

Fort Lincoln."

"Helping him to escape! Helping Wolf Struve to escape! Well, I'm

darned if that don't beat my time. How come you to think him your

brother?" the man asked suspiciously.

"It doesn't matter how or why. I thought so. That's enough."

"And you were alone with him--why, you must have been alone with

him all night," cried Dunke, coming to a fresh discovery.

"I was," she admitted very quietly.