Hayes never changed his position, nor removed his eyes from Winston,

his right hand still resting upon the butt of his "45," his lips set in

rigid line. The engineer, the mist partially clearing from his brain,

retained no thought except for Farnham, who remained motionless,

staring over his head into the black, threatening muzzle of Stutter

Brown's levelled gun. These were Western men; they recognized

instantly the potency of "the drop," the absolute certainty of death if

they stirred a muscle. They could only wait, breathless, uncertain,

the next move in this desperate game. To Winston it seemed an hour he

hesitated, his mind a chaos, temptation buffeting him remorselessly.

He saw the sheriff's face set hard, and resolute behind its iron-gray

beard; he marked the reckless sneer curling Farnham's lips, the livid

mark under his eye where he had struck him. The intense hatred he felt

for this man swept across him fiercely, for an instant driving out of

his heart all thought of mercy. As suddenly he remembered the helpless

woman yonder, within easy view, possibly even then upon her knees in

supplication. It was this conception that aroused him. He withdrew

his dull gaze from off that hateful, mocking face, his clenched hands

opening, his mind responding to a new-born will. "Vengeance is mine; I

will repay, saith the Lord"--like an echo, perhaps from the very prayer

her lips were speaking, the solemn words came into his consciousness.

With face white, and lips trembling, he stepped suddenly back, and

flung up one hand.

"Don't fire, boys!" he commanded, his voice ringing clear and

purposeful. "Drop your guns; it's all right. This is my game, and I

intend to play it out alone."

Farnham laughed, the quick reaction possibly affecting even his iron

nerves. Winston whirled and fronted him, the gray eyes blazing.

"Damn you, you sneaking, sneering brute!" he burst forth. "You thief,

you woman-beater, you unspeakable cur! I surrender to the sheriff of

Gulpin County, not to you. I 've got the evidence to send you to the

penitentiary, and I 'll do it, even though I stand myself in the shadow

of death while I bear witness to your infamy. You think this arrest

will shut my mouth! You imagine this will render me harmless! But, by

God, it will not! I 'll fight you until the last breath leaves my

body. I 'll tear you out from the protection of law; I 'll show you

the kind of a man you have stacked up against. I don't know whether

this murder charge is all a trick or not; I don't more than half

believe Jack Burke is dead. But be that as it may, I 'll pull you

down, Biff Farnham, not in any revenge for wrong done me, but to save a

woman whom you know. I 'll do it, damn you, though it cost me my life!"




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