Allie pushed him back and faced him.  In a way she had been sheltered all her life, yet she had lived among such men as this man, and she knew that resistance or pleadings were useless; they would only inflame him.  She was not ready yet to court death.

“Wait,” she said.

“A-huh!” he grunted, breathing heavily.  He was an animal, slow-witted and brutal.

“Fresno, I am Durade’s girl!” she went on.

“I thought I knowed you.  But you’re grown to be a woman an’ a dam’ pretty one.”

Allie drew him aside, farther from the others, who had renewed a loud altercation.  “Fresno, it’s gold you want,” she affirmed, rather than asked.

“Sure.  But no small stake like thet’d be my choice ag’in’ you,” he leered, jerking a thumb back at his companions.

“You remember Horn?” went on Allie.

“Horn!  The miner who made thet big strike out near Sacramento?”

“Yes, that’s who I mean,” replied Allie, hurriedly.  “We—­we left California in his caravan.  He brought all his gold with him.”

Fresno showed a growing interest.

“We were attacked by Sioux....  Horn buried all that gold—­on the spot.  All—­all the others were killed—­except me....  And I know where—­” Allie shuddered with what the words brought up.  But no memory could weaken her.

Fresno opened his large mouth to bawl this unexpected news to his comrades.

“Don’t call them—­don’t tell them,” Allie whispered.  “There’s only one condition.  I’ll take you where that gold’s hidden.”

“Girl, I can make you tell,” he replied, menacingly.

“No, you can’t.”

“You ain’t so smart you think I’ll let you go—­jest for some gold?” he queried.  “Gold’ll be cheap along this trail soon.  An’ girls like you are scarce.”

“No, that’s not what I meant....  Get rid of the others—­and I’ll take you where Horn buried his gold.”

Fresno stared at her.  He grinned.  The idea evidently surprised and flattered him; yet it was perplexing.

“But Frank—­he’s my pard—­thet one with the black hat,” he protested.  “I couldn’t do no dirt to Frank....  What’s your game, girl?  I’ll beat you into tellin’ me where thet gold is.”

“Beating won’t make me tell,” replied Allie, with intensity.  “Nothing will—­if I don’t want to.  My game is for my life.  You know I’ve no chance among four men like you.”

“Aw, I don’t know about thet,” he blustered.  “I can take care of you....  But, say, if you’d stand fer Frank, mebbe I’ll take you up....  Girl, are you lyin’ about thet gold?”

“No.”

“Why didn’t the trapper dig it up?  You must hev told him.”

“Because he was afraid to keep it in or near his cabin.  We meant to leave it until we were ready to get out of the country.”

That appeared plausible to Fresno and he grew more thoughtful.

Meanwhile the altercation among the other three ruffians assumed proportions that augured a fight.