第56页 / 共439页

Her fearless level eyes met squarely his shifty ones and read

there something she could dread without understanding, something

that was an undefined sacrilege of her sweet purity. For

woman-like her instinct leaped beyond reason.

"Take down your arm," she ordered.

"Oh, I don't know, sis. I reckon your brother--"

"You're no brother of mine," she broke in. "At most it is an

accident of birth I disown. I'll have no relationship with you of

any sort."

"Is that why you're driving with me to Mexico?" he jeered.

"I made a mistake in trying to save you. If it were to do over

again I should not lift a hand."

"You wouldn't, eh?"

There was something almost wolfish in the facial malignity that

distorted him.

"Not a finger."

"Perhaps you'd give me up now if you had a chance?"

"I would if I did what was right."

"And you'd sure want to do what was right," he snarled.

"Take down your arm," she ordered again, a dangerous glitter in

her eyes.