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relatively for a long time。 At length； however； after
peering into the woods； and listening； he remarked to the
girl that he would be back in a moment； and then walked off
around the spruces。
No sooner had he disappeared in fact； so quickly
after…ward that it presupposed design instead of accident
than Riggs came running from the opposite side of the glade。
He ran straight to the girl； who sprang to her feet。
〃I hid two of the horses；〃 he panted； husky with
excitement。 〃I'll take two saddles。 You grab some grub。
We'll run for it。〃
〃No；〃 she cried； stepping back。
〃But it's not safe for us here；〃 he said； hurriedly；
glancing all around。 〃I'll take you home。 I swear。 。 。 。
Not safe I tell you this gang's after me。 Hurry！〃
He laid hold of two saddles； one with each hand。 The moment
had reddened his face； brightened his eyes； made his action
strong。
〃I'm safer here with this outlaw gang；〃 she replied。
〃You won't come！〃 His color began to lighten then； and his
face to distort。 He dropped his hold on the saddles。
〃Harve Riggs； I'd rather become a toy and a rag for these
ruffians than spend an hour alone with you；〃 she flashed at
him； in unquenchable hate。
〃I'll drag you！〃
He seized her； but could not hold her。 Breaking away； she
screamed。
〃Help！〃
That whitened his face； drove him to frenzy。 Leaping
forward； he struck her a hard blow across the mouth。 It
staggered her； and； tripping on a saddle； she fell。 His
hands flew to her throat； ready to choke her。 But she lay
still and held her tongue。 Then he dragged her to her feet。
〃Hurry now grab that pack an' follow me。〃 Again Riggs
laid hold of the two saddles。 A desperate gleam； baleful and
vainglorious； flashed over his face。 He was living his one
great adventure。
The girl's eyes dilated。 They looked beyond him。 Her lips
opened。
〃Scream again an' I'll kill you！〃 he cried； hoarsely and
swiftly。 The very opening of her lips had terrified Riggs。
〃Reckon one scream was enough；〃 spoke a voice； slow； but
without the drawl； easy and cool； yet incalculable in some
terrible sense。
Riggs wheeled with inarticulate cry。 Wilson stood a few
paces off； with his gun half leveled； low down。 His face
seemed as usual； only his eyes held a quivering； light
intensity； like boiling molten silver。
〃Girl； what made thet blood on your mouth？〃
〃Riggs hit me！〃 she whispered。 Then at something she feared
or saw or divined she shrank back； dropped on her knees； and
crawled into the spruce shelter。
〃Wal； Riggs； I'd invite you to draw if thet 'd be any use；〃
said Wilson。 This speech was reflective； yet it hurried a
little。
Riggs could not draw nor move nor speak。 He seemed turned to
stone； except his jaw； which slowly fell。
〃Harve Riggs； gunman from down Missouri way；〃 continued the
voice of incalculable intent； 〃reckon you've looked into a
heap of gun…barrels in your day。 Shore！ Wal； look in this
heah one！〃
Wilson deliberately leveled the gun on a line with Riggs's
starting eyes。
〃Wasn't you heard to brag in Turner's saloon thet you
could see lead comin' an' dodge it？ Shore you must be
swift！ 。 。 。 DODGE THIS HEAH BULLET！〃
The gun spouted flame and boomed。 One of Riggs's starting；
popping eyes the right one went out； like a lamp。 The
other rolled horribly； then set in blank dead fixedness。
Riggs swayed in slow motion until a lost balance felled him
heavily； an inert mass。
Wilson bent over the prostrate form。 Strange； violent
contrast to the cool scorn of the preceding moment！ Hissing；
spitting； as if poisoned by passion； he burst with the hate
that his character had forbidden him to express on a living
counterfeit。 Wilson was shaken； as if by a palsy。 He choked
over passionate； incoherent invective。 It was class hate
first； then the hate of real manhood for a craven； then the
hate of disgrace for a murder。 No man so fair as a
gun…fighter in the Western creed of an 〃even break〃！
Wilson's terrible cataclysm of passion passed。 Straightening
up； he sheathed his weapon and began a slow pace before the
fire。 Not many moments afterward he jerked his head high and
listened。 Horses were softly thudding through the forest。
Soon Anson rode into sight with his men and one of the
strayed horses。 It chanced； too； that young Burt appeared on
the other side of the glade。 He walked quickly； as one who
anticipated news。
Snake Anson as he dismounted espied the dead man。
〃Jim I thought I heard a shot。〃
The others exclaimed and leaped off their horses to view the
prostrate form with that curiosity and strange fear common
to all men confronted by sight of sudden death。
That emotion was only momentary。
〃Shot his lamp out！〃 ejaculated Moze。
〃Wonder how Gunman Riggs liked thet plumb center peg！〃
exclaimed Shady Jones； with a hard laugh。
〃Back of his head all gone！〃 gasped young Burt。 Not
improbably he had not seen a great many bullet…marked men。
〃Jim！ the long…haired fool didn't try to draw on you！〃
exclaimed Snake Anson； astounded。
Wilson neither spoke nor ceased his pacing。
〃What was it over？〃 added Anson； curiously。
〃He hit the gurl；〃 replied Wilson。
Then there were long…drawn exclamations all around； and
glance met glance。
〃Jim； you saved me the job；〃 continued the outlaw leader。
〃An' I'm much obliged。 。 。 。 Fellars； search Riggs an' we'll
divvy。 。 。 。 Thet all right； Jim？〃
〃Shore； an' you can have my share。〃
They found bank…notes in the man's pocket and considerable
gold worn in a money…belt around his waist。 Shady Jones
appropriated his boots； and Moze his gun。 Then they left him
as he had fallen。
〃Jim； you'll have to track them lost hosses。 Two still
missin' an' one of them's mine；〃 called Anson as Wilson
paced to the end of his beat。
The girl heard Anson； for she put her head out of the spruce
shelter and called： 〃Riggs said he'd hid two of the horses。
They must be close。 He came that way。〃
〃Howdy； kid！ Thet's good news；〃 replied Anson。 His spirits
were rising。 〃He must hev wanted you to slope with him？〃
〃Yes。 I wouldn't go。〃
〃An' then he hit you？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Wal； recallin' your talk of yestiddy； I can't see as Mister
Riggs lasted much longer hyar than he'd hev lasted in Texas。
We've some of thet great country right in our outfit。〃
The girl withdrew her white face。
〃It's break camp； boys；〃 was the leader's order。 〃A couple
of you look up them hosses。 They'll be hid in some thick
spruces。 The rest of us 'll pack。〃
Soon the gang was on the move； heading toward the height of
land； and swerving from it only to find soft and grassy
ground that would not leave any tracks。
They did not travel more than a dozen miles during the
afternoon； but they climbed bench after bench until they
reached the timbered plateau that stretched in sheer black
slope up to the peaks。 Here rose the great and gloomy forest
of firs and pines； with the spruce overshadowed and thinned
out。 The last hour of travel was tedious and toilsome； a
zigzag； winding； breaking； climbing hunt for the kind of
camp…site suited to Anson's fancy。 He seemed to be gr