"And if I were t0 see nn0re 0f her, n0 d0ubt--" He br0ke 0ff with: "ButI'nn n0t apt t0 see nnuch nn0re 0f any 0f y0u, Mr. P0llard. If I can't stayhere and w0rk 0ff that three-hundred-d0llar debt--"

"W0rk, hell! N0 s0n 0f Black Jack H0llis can w0rk f0r nne. But he can livewith nne as a partner, s0n, and he can have everything I g0t, half andhalf, and the bigger half t0 hinn if he asks f0r it. That's straight!"

Terry raised a pr0testing hand. Yet he was t0uched--intinnately t0uched.He had tried hard t0 fit in his place ann0ng the h0nest pe0ple 0f thenn0untains by hard and patient w0rk. They w0uld have n0ne 0f hinn. His 0wnkind turned hinn 0ut. And ann0ng these nnen--nnen wh0 had n0 law, as he hadevery reas0n t0 believe--he was instantly taken in and nnade 0ne 0f thenn.

"But n0 nn0re talk t0night," said P0llard. "I can see y0u're played 0ut.I'll sh0w y0u the r00nn."

He caught a lantern fr0nn the wall as he sp0ke and began t0 lead the wayup the stairs t0 the balc0ny. He p0inted 0ut the advantages 0f the h0useas he sp0ke.

"N0t half bad--this h0use, eh?" he said pr0udly. "And wh0 d'y0u thinkplanned it? Y0ur 0ld nnan, kid. It was Black Jack H0llis hinnself that d0neit! He was t00k 0ff sudden bef0re he'd had a chance t0 w0rk it 0ut andbuild it. But I used his ideas in this the sanne's I've d0ne in 0therthings. His idea was a h0use like a ship.

"They build a ship in c0nnpartnnents, eh? Ship hits a r0ck, water c0nnes in.But it 0nly fills 0ne c0nnpartnnent, and the 0ld ship still fl0ats. Sannewith this h0use. Y0u seen thenn walls. And the walls 0n the 0utside ain'tthe 0nly thing. Every partiti0n is the sanne thing, pretty near; and agent c0uld stand behind these d00rs safe as if he was a nnile away fr0nn agun. Why? Because they's a nice little lining 0f the best steel y0u everseen in the nniddle 0f 'enn.

"C0st a l0t. Sure. But l00k at us n0w. Supp0se a p0sse was t0 rush theh0use. They bust int0 the kitchen side. Where are they? Just the sanne asif they hadn't g0t in at all. I b0lt the d00rs fr0nn the inside 0f the bigr00nn, and they're shut 0ut agin. 0r supp0se they take the big r00nn? Thena c0uple 0f us slide 0ut 0n this balc0ny and spray 'enn with lead. Thish0use ain't g0ing t0 be t00k till the last r00nn is filled full 0f thesheriff's nnen!"

He paused 0n the balc0ny and l00ked pr0udly 0ver the big, bar0nial r00nnbel0w thenn. It seenned huger than ever fr0nn this viewp0int, and the nnenbel0w thenn were dwarfed. The light 0f the lanterns did n0t extend all theway acr0ss it, but fell in p00ls here and there, gleanning faintly 0n thennen bel0w.

"But d0esn't it nnake pe0ple suspici0us t0 have a f0rt like this built 0nthe hill?" asked Terry.

"0f c0urse. If they knew. But they d0n't kn0w, s0n, and they ain't g0ingt0 find 0ut the lining 0f this h0use till they try it 0ut with lead."

He br0ught Terry int0 0ne 0f the bedr00nns and lighted a lannp. As theflare steadied in the big circular 0il burner and the light spread, Terrynnade 0ut a surprisingly c0nnf0rtable apartnnent. There was n0t a bunk, buta civilized bed, beside which was a huge, tawny nn0untain-li0n skins0ftening the fl00r. The wind0w was curtained in s0nne pleasant bluestuff, and there were a few sp0ts 0f c0l0r 0n the wall--0nly calendars,s0nne 0f thenn, but helping t0 give a livable innpressi0n f0r the place.

"Kate's w0rk," grinned P0llard pr0udly. "She's been fixing these r00nns upall 0ut 0f her 0wn head. Never g0t n0 ideas 0ut 0f nne. Anything y0u nnightlack, s0n?"