While she gazed there had been further exchange of speech between
Kells and Cleve, and she had heard, though not distinguished, what
was said. Kells was unmistakably friendly, as were the other men
within range of Joan's sight. Cleve was surrounded; there were
jesting and laughter; and then he was led to the long table where
several men were already gambling.
Joan dropped the curtain, and in the darkness of her cabin she saw
that white, haunting face, and when she covered her eyes she still
saw it. The pain, the reckless violence, the hopeless indifference,
the wreck and ruin in that face had been her doing. Why? How had Jim
Cleve wronged her? He had loved her at her displeasure and had
kissed her against her will. She had furiously upbraided him, and
when he had finally turned upon her, threatening to prove he was no
coward, she had scorned him with a girl's merciless injustice. All
her strength and resolve left her, momentarily, after seeing Jim
there. Like a woman, she weakened. She lay on the bed and writhed.
Doubt, hopelessness, despair, again seized upon her, and some
strange, yearning maddening emotion. What had she sacrificed? His
happiness and her own--and both their lives!
The clamor in the other cabin grew so boisterous that suddenly when
it stilled Joan was brought sharply to the significance of it. Again
she drew aside the curtain and peered out.
Gulden, huge, stolid, gloomy, was entering the cabin. The man fell
into the circle and faced Kell with the fire-light dancing in his
cavernous eyes.
"Hello, Gulden!" said Kells, coolly. "What ails you?"
"Anybody tell you about Bill Bailey?" asked Gulden, heavily.
Kells did not show the least concern. "Tell me what?"
"That he died in a cabin, down in the valley?"
Kells gave a slight start and his eyes narrowed and shot steely
glints. "No. It's news to me."
"Kells, you left Bailey for dead. But he lived. He was shot through,
but he got there somehow--nobody knows. He was far gone when Beady
Jones happened along. Before he died he sent word to me by Beady. ...
Are you curious to know what it was?"
"Not the least," replied Kells. "Bailey was--well, offensive to my
wife. I shot him."
"He swore you drew on him in cold blood," thundered Gulden. "He
swore it was for nothing--just so you could be alone with that
girl!"
Kells rose in wonderful calmness, with only his pallor and a slight
shaking of his hands to betray excitement. An uneasy stir and murmur
ran through the room. Red Pearce, nearest at hand, stepped to
Kells's side. All in a moment there was a deadly surcharged
atmosphere there.