as they make them."

"May I ask how you arrived at this melodramatic conclusion?" she
asked, her disdainful lip curling.

"By using my eyes and my ears, ma'am. I shouldn't have noticed
your likeness to Major Mackenzie, perhaps, if I hadn't observed
that there was a secret understanding between you. Now, whyfor
should you be passing as strangers? I could guess one reason, and
only one. There have twice been attempted hold-ups of the
paymaster of the Yuba reservoir. It was to avoid any more of
these that Major Mackenzie took charge personally of paying the
men. He has made good up till now. But there have been rumors for
months that he would be held up either before leaving the train
or while he was crossing the desert. He didn't want to be seen
taking the boodle from the express company at Tucson. He would
rather have the impression get out that this was just a casual
visit. It occurred to him to bring along some unsuspected party
to help him out. The robbers would never expect to find the money
on a woman. That's why the major brought his daughter with him.
Doesn't it make you some uneasy to be carrying fifty thousand in
small bills sewed in your clothes and hung round your neck?"

She broke into musical laughter, natural and easy. "I don't
happen to have fifty thousand with me."

"Oh, well, say forty thousand. I'm no wizard to guess the exact
figure."

Her swift glance at him was almost timid.