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〃Shore I'm scared he's hurt；〃 said Wilson。
〃Hoss rolled right on top of him。 An' thet hoss's heavy；〃
declared Moze。
They got down and knelt beside their leader。 In the darkness
his face looked dull gray。 His breathing was not right。
〃Snake； old man； you ain't hurt？〃 asked Wilson； with a
tremor in his voice。 Receiving no reply； he said to his
comrades； 〃Lay hold an' we'll heft him up where we can see。〃
The three men carefully lifted Anson up on the bank and laid
him near the fire in the light。 Anson was conscious。 His
face was ghastly。 Blood showed on his lips。
Wilson knelt beside him。 The other outlaws stood up； and
with one dark gaze at one another damned Anson's chance of
life。 And on the instant rose that terrible distressing
scream of acute agony like that of a woman being
dismembered。 Shady Jones whispered something to Moze。 Then
they stood up； gazing down at their fallen leader。
〃Tell me where you're hurt？〃 asked Wilson。
〃He smashed my chest；〃 said Anson； in a broken；
strangled whisper。
Wilson's deft hands opened the outlaw's shirt and felt of
his chest。
…335…
〃No。 Shore your breast…bone ain't smashed；〃 replied Wilson；
hopefully。 And he began to run his hand around one side of
Anson's body and then the other。 Abruptly he stopped；
averted his gaze； then slowly ran the hand all along that
side。 Anson's ribs had been broken and crushed in by the
weight of the horse。 He was bleeding at the mouth； and his
slow； painful expulsions of breath brought a bloody froth；
which showed that the broken bones had penetrated the lungs。
An injury sooner or later fatal！
〃Pard； you busted a rib or two；〃 said Wilson。
〃Aw； Jim it must be wuss 'n thet！〃 he whispered。 〃I'm
in orful pain。 An' I can't git any breath。〃
〃Mebbe you'll be better；〃 said Wilson； with a cheerfulness
his face belied。
Moze bent close over Anson； took a short scrutiny of that
ghastly face； at the blood…stained lips； and the lean hands
plucking at nothing。 Then he jerked erect。
〃Shady； he's goin' to cash。 Let's clear out of this。〃
〃I'm yours pertickler previous；〃 replied Jones。
Both turned away。 They untied the two horses and led them up
to where the saddles lay。 Swiftly the blankets went on；
swiftly the saddles swung up； swiftly the cinches snapped。
Anson lay gazing up at Wilson； comprehending this move。 And
Wilson stood strangely grim and silent； somehow detached
coldly from that self of the past few hours。
〃Shady； you grab some bread an' I'll pack a bunk of meat；〃
said Moze。 Both men came near the fire； into the light；
within ten feet of where the leader lay。
〃Fellars you ain't slopin'？〃 he whispered； in husky
amaze。
〃Boss； we air thet same。 We can't do you no good an' this
hole ain't healthy；〃 replied Moze。
Shady Jones swung himself astride his horse； all about him
sharp； eager； strung。
〃Moze； I'll tote the grub an' you lead out of hyar； till we
git past the wust timber；〃 he said。
〃Aw； Moze you wouldn't leave Jim hyar alone；〃
implored Anson。
〃Jim can stay till he rots；〃 retorted Moze。 〃I've hed enough
of this hole。〃
〃But； Moze it ain't square 〃 panted Anson。 〃Jim
wouldn't leave me。 I'd stick by you。 。 。 。 I'll make
it all up to you。〃
〃Snake； you're goin' to cash；〃 sardonically returned Moze。
A current leaped all through Anson's stretched frame。 His
ghastly face blazed。 That was the great and the terrible
moment which for long had been in abeyance。 Wilson had known
grimly that it would come； by one means or another。 Anson
had doggedly and faithfully struggled against the tide of
fatal issues。 Moze and Shady Jones； deep locked in their
self…centered motives； had not realized the inevitable trend
of their dark lives。
Anson； prostrate as he was； swiftly drew his gun and shot
Moze。 Without sound or movement of hand Moze fell。 Then the
plunge of Shady's horse caused Anson's second shot to miss。
A quick third shot brought no apparent result but Shady's
cursing resort to his own weapon。 He tried to aim from his
plunging horse。 His bullets spattered dust and gravel over
Anson。 Then Wilson's long arm stretched and his heavy gun
banged。 Shady collapsed in the saddle； and the frightened
horse； throwing him； plunged out of the circle of light。
Thudding hoofs； crashings of brush； quickly ceased。
〃Jim did you git him？〃 whispered Anson。
〃Shore did； Snake；〃 was the slow； halting response。 Jim
Wilson must have sustained a sick shudder as he replied。
Sheathing his gun； he folded a blanket and put it under
Anson's head。
〃Jim my feet air orful cold；〃 whispered Anson。
〃Wal； it's gittin' chilly；〃 replied Wilson； and； taking a
second blanket； he laid that over Anson's limbs。 〃Snake； I'm
feared Shady hit you once。〃
〃A…huh！ But not so I'd care much if I hed no wuss
hurt。〃
〃You lay still now。 Reckon Shady's hoss stopped out heah a
ways。 An' I'll see。〃
〃Jim I 'ain't heerd thet scream fer a little。〃
〃Shore it's gone。 。 。 。 Reckon now thet was a cougar。〃
〃I knowed it！〃
Wilson stalked away into the darkness。 That inky wall did
not seem so impenetrable and black after he had gotten out
of the circle of light。 He proceeded carefully and did not
make any missteps。 He groped from tree to tree toward the
cliff and presently brought up against a huge flat rock as
high as his head。 Here the darkness was blackest； yet he was
able to see a light form on the rock。
〃Miss； are you there all right？〃 he called； softly。
〃Yes； but I'm scared to death；〃 she whispered in reply。
〃Shore it wound up sudden。 Come now。 I reckon your trouble's
over。〃
He helped her off the rock； and； finding her unsteady on her
feet； he supported her with one arm and held the other out
in front of him to feel for objects。 Foot by foot they
worked out from under the dense shadow of the cliff；
following the course of the little brook。 It babbled and
gurgled； and almost drowned the low whistle Wilson sent out。
The girl dragged heavily upon him now； evidently weakening。
At length he reached the little open patch at the head of
the ravine。 Halting here； he whistled。 An answer came from
somewhere behind him and to the right。 Wilson waited； with
the girl hanging on his arm。
〃Dale's heah；〃 he said。 〃An' don't you keel over now
after all the nerve you hed。〃
A swishing of brush； a step； a soft； padded footfall； a
looming； dark figure； and a long； low gray shape； stealthily
moving it was the last of these that made Wilson jump。
〃Wilson！〃 came Dale's subdued voice。
〃Heah。 I've got her； Dale。 Safe an sound；〃 replied Wilson；
stepping toward the tall form。 And he put the drooping girl
into Dale's arms。
〃Bo！ Bo！ You're all right？〃 Dale's deep voice was tremulous。
She roused up to seize him and to utter little cries of joy
〃Oh； Dale！ 。 。 。 Oh； thank Heaven！ I'm ready to drop now。 。
。 。 Hasn't it been a night an adventure？ 。 。 。 I'm well
safe sound。 。 。 。 Dale； we owe it to this Jim Wilson。〃
〃Bo； I we'll all thank him all our lives；〃 replied
Dale。 〃Wilson； you're a man！ 。 。 。 If you'll shake that gang
〃
〃Da