Mercedes, she was there all right, 'bout ten minutes ago, but just naturally faded away before I hit the shebang.

Doorkeeper piped it she had a guy with her when she broke loose, an' he reckoned she must have lit out fer home." "For home ?" a faint ray of light breaking from the word.

"Where does the girl live?
Do you know ?" "Sure; I 'm wise; she has a couple of dandy rooms over at the old fort, just across the creek; you know where that is, don't you ?" She nodded silently, her eyes brightening with resolution.
"It 's a blame tough bit of hiking to take alone on a dark night like this," he commented gravely.

"You was n't plannin' to try any such trip as that, was you, Miss ?" "Oh, no; certainly not.

I'm going upstairs to wait for daylight.