"That's the dirty lie he tells everywhere, and is telling now." She stamped her feet and glanced savagely around, as if at any risk to proclaim the falsehood.

Low turned his impassive, truthful face towards her.
"Sheriff Dunn," he began gravely, "is a politician, and a fool when he takes to the trail as a hunter of man or beast.

But he is not a coward nor a liar.

Your chances would be better if he were--if he laid your escape to an ambush of your friends, than if his pride held you alone responsible." "If he's such a good man, why do you hesitate ?" she replied bitterly.
"Why don't you give me up at once, and do a service to one of your friends ?" "I do not even know him," returned Low opening his clear eyes upon her.
"I've promised to hide you here, and I shall hide you as well from him as from anybody." Teresa did not reply, but suddenly dropping down upon the ground buried her face in her hands and began to sob convulsively.

Low turned impassively away, and putting aside the bark curtain climbed into the hollow tree.