THE FIGHTING SHEPHERDESS
" But you're going to tell me, Pete? You are! You are! " She crawled closer to the bunk, on her knees.
A passionate satisfaction glittered in his eyes.
" Yes I it's a plumb pity that you and him never hap- pened to meet up."
There was cold cruelty in his tantalizing voice.
" You mean — you mean — " she stammered with colorless lips — " that — that you're only tormenting me again — you don't intend — "
" That depends." His pupils dilated, his white teeth gleamed.
" But you promised, Pete 1 Haven't you any honor— not a speck? "
" I pt what I want any way I can git it. That's me — Mullendore."
" Tell me what you want I Is it money, Pete? "
"Money! HeUI What's money good for to me? Money's only to blow after you've got enough to eat. What do you spose I want? I want you I "
" What do you mean? "
" Just that." An oath came between his clenched teeth. " I'm stuck on you I I want you so I hate you, if you can understand that- — and always have. I'd like to take you off like a dog packs a bone away for himself. I've dealt you and your sheep all the misery I could, be- cause every step you took up was just so far from me. What I've done," savagely, " is nothin' to what I'll do when I git out of this, if you don't say yes."
Kate's face, that had gone scarlet, was a grayish white as she got up slowly from her knees.
Her breathing was labored as she demanded :
" You — mean — that — you'll — not — tell me any thing more unless I do what you ask? "
" You got it right."
272
