CHAPTER XXXII.
PREPARATION.
That same night, Mr.Lane told his daughter that he would leave home early the next morning to be gone two days.

Jim was cleaning his big forty-five when he made the announcement.
Sammy paused with one hand on the cupboard door to ask, "With Wash Gibbs, Daddy ?" "No, I ain't goin' with Wash; but I'll likely meet up with him before I get back." There was a hint of that metallic ring in the man's voice.
The girl placed her armful of dishes carefully on the cupboard shelf; "You're--you're not going to forget your promise, are you, Daddy Jim ?" The mountaineer was carefully dropping a bit of oil into the lock of his big revolver.

"No, girl, I ain't forgettin' nothin'.

This here's the last ride I aim to take with Wash.

I'm goin' to see him to,"-- he paused and listened carefully to the click, click, click, as he tested the action of his weapon--"to keep my promise." "Oh, Daddy, Daddy, I'm so glad! I wanted this more than I ever wanted anything in all my life before.