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packs had been made up and the horses stood saddled and
bridled。 They were restless and uneasy； tossing bits and
fighting flies。 The sun； now half…way to meridian； was hot
and no breeze blew in that sheltered spot。
Shady Jones had ridden off early to fill the water…bags； and
had not yet returned。 Anson； thinner and scalier and more
snakelike than ever； was dealing a greasy； dirty deck of
cards； his opponent being the square…shaped； black…visaged
Moze。 In lieu of money the gamblers wagered with
cedar…berries； each of which berries represented a pipeful
of tobacco。 Jim Wilson brooded under a cedar…tree； his
unshaven face a dirty dust…hue； a smoldering fire in his
light eyes； a sullen set to his jaw。 Every little while he
would raise his eyes to glance at Riggs； and it seemed that
a quick glance was enough。 Riggs paced to and fro in the
open； coatless and hatless； his black…broadcloth trousers
and embroidered vest dusty and torn。 An enormous gun bumped
awkwardly in its sheath swinging below his hip。 Riggs looked
perturbed。 His face was sweating freely； yet it was far from
red in color。 He did not appear to mind the sun or the
flies。 His eyes were staring； dark； wild； shifting in gaze
from everything they encountered。 But often that gaze shot
back to the captive girl sitting under a cedar some yards
from the man。
Bo Rayner's little； booted feet were tied together with one
end of a lasso and the other end trailed off over the
ground。 Her hands were free。 Her riding…habit was dusty and
disordered。 Her eyes blazed defiantly out of a small； pale
face。
〃Harve Riggs； I wouldn't be standing in those cheap boots of
yours for a million dollars；〃 she said； sarcastically。 Riggs
took no notice of her words。
〃You pack that gun…sheath wrong end out。 What have you got
the gun for； anyhow？〃 she added； tauntingly。
Snake Anson let out a hoarse laugh and Moze's black visage
opened in a huge grin。 Jim Wilson seemed to drink in the
girl's words。 Sullen and somber； he bent his lean head； very
still； as if listening。
〃You'd better shut up；〃 said Riggs； darkly。
〃I will not shut up；〃 declared Bo。
〃Then I'll gag you；〃 he threatened。
〃Gag me！ Why； you dirty； low…down； two…bit of a bluff！〃 she
exclaimed； hotly； 〃I'd like to see you try it。 I'll tear
that long hair of yours right off your head。〃
Riggs advanced toward her with his hands clutching； as if
eager to throttle her。 The girl leaned forward； her face
reddening； her eyes fierce。
〃You damned little cat！〃 muttered Riggs； thickly。 〃I'll gag
you if you don't stop squallin'。〃
〃Come on。 I dare you to lay a hand on me。 。 。 。 Harve Riggs；
I'm not the least afraid of you。 Can't you savvy that？
You're a liar； a four…flush； a sneak！ Why； you're not fit to
wipe the feet of any of these outlaws。〃
Riggs took two long strides and bent over her； his teeth
protruding in a snarl； and he cuffed her hard on the side of
the head。
Bo's head jerked back with the force of the blow； but she
uttered no cry。
〃Are you goin' to keep your jaw shut？〃 he demanded；
stridently； and a dark tide of blood surged up into his
neck。
〃I should smile I'm not；〃 retorted Bo； in cool； deliberate
anger of opposition。 〃You've roped me and you've struck
me！ Now get a club stand off there out of my reach
and beat me！ Oh； if I only knew cuss words fit for you
I'd call you them！〃
Snake Anson had stopped playing cards； and was watching；
listening； with half…disgusted； half…amused expression on
his serpent…like face。 Jim Wilson slowly rose to his feet。
If any one had observed him it would have been to note that
he now seemed singularly fascinated by this scene； yet all
the while absorbed in himself。 Once he loosened the
neck…band of his blouse。
Riggs swung his arm more violently at the girl。 But she
dodged。
〃You dog！〃 she hissed。 〃Oh； if I only had a gun！〃
Her face then； with its dead whiteness and the eyes of
flame； held a tragic； impelling beauty that stung Anson into
remonstrance。
〃Aw； Riggs； don't beat up the kid；〃 he protested。 〃Thet
won't do any good。 Let her alone。〃
〃But she's got to shut up；〃 replied Riggs。
〃How 'n hell air you goin' to shet her up？ Mebbe if you get
out of her sight she'll be quiet。 。 。 。 How about thet；
girl？〃
Anson gnawed his drooping mustache as he eyed Bo。
〃Have I made any kick to you or your men yet？〃 she queried。
〃It strikes me you 'ain't；〃 replied Anson。
〃You won't hear me make any so long as I'm treated decent；〃
said Bo。 〃I don't know what you've got to do with Riggs。 He
ran me down roped me dragged me to your camp。 Now I've
a hunch you're waiting for Beasley。〃
〃Girl； your hunch 's correct；〃 said Anson。
〃Well； do you know I'm the wrong girl？〃
〃What's thet？ I reckon you're Nell Rayner； who got left all
old Auchincloss's property。〃
〃No。 I'm Bo Rayner。 Nell is my sister。 She owns the ranch。
Beasley wanted her。〃
Anson cursed deep and low。 Under his sharp； bristling
eyebrows he bent cunning green eyes upon Riggs。
〃Say； you！ Is what this kid says so？〃
〃Yes。 She's Nell Rayner's sister；〃 replied Riggs； doggedly。
〃A…huh！ Wal； why in the hell did you drag her into my camp
an' off up here to signal Beasley？ He ain't wantin' her。 He
wants the girl who owns the ranch。 Did you take one fer the
other same as thet day we was with you？〃
〃Guess I must have；〃 replied Riggs； sullenly。
〃But you knowed her from her sister afore you come to my
camp？〃
Riggs shook his head。 He was paler now and sweating more
freely。 The dank hair hung wet over his forehead。 His manner
was that of a man suddenly realizing he had gotten into a
tight place。
〃Oh； he's a liar！〃 exclaimed Bo； with contemptuous ring in
her voice。 〃He comes from my country。 He has known Nell and
me for years。〃
Snake Anson turned to look at Wilson。
〃Jim； now hyar's a queer deal this feller has rung in on us。
I thought thet kid was pretty young。 Don't you remember
Beasley told us Nell Rayner was a handsome woman？〃
〃Wal； pard Anson； if this heah gurl ain't handsome my eyes
have gone pore；〃 drawled Wilson。
〃A…huh！ So your Texas chilvaree over the ladies is some
operatin'；〃 retorted Anson； with fine sarcasm。 〃But thet
ain't tellin' me what you think？〃
〃Wal； I ain't tellin' you what I think yet。 But I know thet
kid ain't Nell Rayner。 For I've seen her。〃
Anson studied his right…hand man for a moment； then； taking
out his tobacco…pouch； he sat himself down upon a stone and
proceeded leisurely to roll a cigarette。 He put it between
his thin lips and apparently forgot to light it。 For a few
moments he gazed at the yellow ground and some scant
sage…brush。 Riggs took to pacing up and down。 Wilson leaned
as before against the cedar。 The girl slowly recovered from
her excess of anger。
〃Kid； see hyar；〃 said Anson； addressing the girl； 〃if Riggs
knowed you wasn't Nell an' fetched you along anyhow what
'd he do thet fur？〃
〃He chased me caught me。 Then he saw some one after us
and he hurried to your camp。 He was afraid the cur！〃
Riggs heard her reply； for he turned a malignant glance upon
her。