"There's no need to tell you, I guess, that the engagement is broken."
"None whatever, Miss Lockwood. Good-evening."
"Come, Roland!"
Arm in arm they left, with the haughty tread of the elect, while Pete
Willing lurched to Duncan's side and caught his arm.
"Come 'long to jail, Mish'r Duncan," he said with sympathy. "Mush
bessher."
"You look after him, Pete." Lockwood turned to leave with a final shot
for Duncan. "I'll 'tend to your case in the mornin', young man, and
I'll make you wish you never came to this town."
"You needn't trouble. I feel that way about it already. _Good_-night."
Lockwood left them, snarling. Nat caught Kellogg's eye and began to
giggle. But Pete was still holding him fast, partially, beyond doubt,
for support.
"You've been saved just in time, Mish'r Duncan," he commented; "y'are
mighty lucky man. Now lissen: you better make tracks. I ain't got no
warrant to hold you, 'nd I wouldn't if I had."
"You're a good fellow, Pete; but you needn't worry. I'm not the man
they think me, and it'll be easy to prove."
"Wal," said Pete, "jus' the same, you better git out, 'r you may have
to marry her aft'all."
"No, I won't."
"Thank Gawd f'r that!" Pete exclaimed in maudlin gratitude. He swung
widely toward the door, and by a miracle found it. "G'night, Mish'r
Duncan. I feel s' good 'bout thish I'm goin' try goin' home 'nd face m'
wife. G'night."
"Good-night, Pete."
"Well!" said Kellogg after a pause, "that was a bit of luck!"
"Luck!" Nat seized his hat and began to turn off the lights. "It's more
luck than I thought there was in the whole world. Come along."
"Where are you going?"
"First, to see Lockwood and have it out with him."
"No, you aren't," Kellogg laughed as Nat locked the door. "You're going
to leave Lockwood to me; I'll manage to ease his mind. You've got
infinitely more important matters to attend to--and the sooner you find
her, the better, Nat!"