I knew Nolan, and I knew your father, and I had reason to doubt the guilt of the Captain, in spite of the verdict of the jury that condemned him.

In fact, I knew at the time, although it was not in my power to prove it, that the two principal witnesses against Nolan lied.
I thought I could guess why, but we drifted apart, and finally I lost all track of every one connected with the affair.

Then I happened to pick up that girl down in the canyon beyond the Bear Water, and pulled her out alive just because she chanced to be of that sex, and I could n't stand to see her fall into Indian clutches.

I did n't feel any special interest in her at the time, supposing she belonged to Old Gillis, but she somehow grew on me--she's that kind, you know; and when I discovered, purely by accident, that she was Captain Nolan's girl, but that it all had been kept from her, I just naturally made up my mind I 'd dig out the truth if I possibly could, for her sake.

The fact is, I began to think a lot about her--not the way you do, you understand; I'm getting too old for that, and have known too much about women,--but maybe somewhat as a father might feel.