Lite's hand, also, was close to his gun, to be perfectly sure of Jean's safety.

But he had no intention of spoiling her feeling of independence if he could help it.

He had lots of faith in Jean.
"What has cropped up, anyway ?" Art asked her curiously, as if he had been puzzling over her reasons for being there.

"I thought that affair was settled long ago, when it happened.

I thought it was all straight sailing--" "To send an innocent man to prison for it?
Do you call that straight sailing ?" Jean's eyes had in them now a flash of anger that steadied her.
"What innocent man ?" Art threw away the stub of the splinter and sat up straight.