"He did you a favour, didn't he? He brought your daughter in."
"Yes, 'n' he'd jail us all if he got anything on us."
"Yes; and he'll shoot to kill if any of Quintana's people come here and
try to break in."
Clinch grunted, peeled off his coat and got into a leather vest
bristling with cartridge loops.
Trooper Stormont came in the back door, carrying his rifle.
"Some rough fellow been bothering your little daughter, Clinch?" he
inquired. "The child was nearly all in when she met me out by Owl
Marsh--clothes half torn off her back, bare-foot and bleeding. She's a
plucky youngster. I'll say so, Clinch. If you think the fellow may come
here to annoy her I'll keep an eye on her till you return."
Clinch went up to Stormont, put his powerful hands on the young fellow's
shoulders.
After a moment's glaring silence: "You _look_ clean. I guess you be,
too. I wanta tell you I'll cut the guts outa any guy that lays the heft
of a single finger onto Eve."
"I'd do so, too, if I were you," said Stormont.
"Would ye? Well, I guess you're a real man, too, even if you're a State
Trooper," growled Clinch. "G'wan up. She's a-nappin'. If she wakes up
you kinda talk pleasant to her. You act kind pleasant and cosy. She
ain't had no ma. You tell her to set snug and ca'm. Then you cook her a
egg if she wants it. There's pie, too. I cal'late to be back by
sundown."
"Nearer morning," remarked Smith.