Pagina 253 van 439

"It don't matter who made it. The p'int is that there are reasons

why strangers ain't exactly welcome in this valley right now, Mr.

Fraser. This country is full o' suspicion. Whilst it's onjust,

charges are being made against us on the outside. Right now the

settlers here have got to guard against furriners. Now I know

yo're all right, Mr. Fraser. But my neighbors don't know it."

"It was our lives he saved, not our neighbors'," scoffed Arlie.

"K'rect. So I say, Mr. Fraser, if yo' are out o' funds, I'll

finance you. Wherever you want to go I'll see you git there, but

I hain't got the right to invite you to stay in Lost Valley."

"Better send him to Gimlet Butte, dad! He killed a man in helping

us to escape, and he 's wanted bad! He broke jail to get here!

Pay his expenses back to the Butte! Then if there's a reward, you

and Jed can divide it!" his daughter jeered.

"What's that? Killed a man, yo' say?"