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a map of Greaves's barn and fence； the back door and window； and
especially a break in the stone foundation which led into a kind of
cellar where Greaves stored wood and other things that could be left
outdoors。
〃Jean； I take particular pains to show y'u where this hole is；〃 said
Blue； 〃because if the gang runs out y'u could duck in there an' hide。
An' if they run out into the yardwal； y'u'd make it a sorry run fer
them。 。 。 。 Wal； when y'u've crawled up close to Greaves's back door；
an' waited long enough to see an' listenthen you're to run fast an'
swing your ax smash ag'in' the winder。 Take a quick peep in if y'u
want to。 It might help。 Then jump quick an' take a swing at the door。
Y'u 'll be standin' to one side； so if the gang shoots through the door
they won't hit y'u。 Bang thet door good an' hard。 。 。 。 Wal； now's
where I come in。 When y'u swing thet ax I'll shore run fer the front
of the store。 Jorth an' his outfit will be some attentive to thet
poundin' of yours on the back door。 So I reckon。 An' they'll be
lookin' thet way。 I'll run inyellan' throw my guns on Jorth。〃
〃Humph！ Is that all？〃 ejaculated Blaisdell。
〃I reckon thet's all an' I'm figgerin' it's a hell of a lot；〃 responded
Blue； dryly。 〃Thet's what Jorth will think。〃
〃Where do we come in？〃
〃Wal； y'u all can back me up；〃 replied Blue； dubiously。 Y'u see；
my plan goes as far as killin' Jorthan' mebbe his brothers。 Mebbe
I'll get a crack at Queen。 But I'll be shore of Jorth。 After thet
all depends。 Mebbe it 'll be easy fer me to get out。 An' if I do
y'u fellars will know it an' can fill thet storeroom full of bullets。〃
〃Wal； Blue； with all due respect to y'u； I shore don't like your plan；〃
declared Blaisdell。 〃Success depends upon too many little things any
one of which might go wrong。〃
〃Blaisdell； I reckon I know this heah game better than y'u；〃 replied
Blue。 〃A gun fighter goes by instinct。 This trick will work。〃
〃But suppose that front door of Greaves's store is barred；〃 protested
Blaisdell。
〃It hasn't got any bar；〃 said Blue。
〃Y'u're shore？〃
〃Yes； I reckon；〃 replied Blue。
〃Hell； man！ Aren't y'u takin' a terrible chance？〃 queried Blaisdell。
Blue's answer to that was a look that brought the blood to Blaisdell's
face。 Only then did the rancher really comprehend how the little gunman
had taken such desperate chances before； and meant to take them now；
not with any hope or assurance of escaping with his life； but to live
up to his peculiar code of honor。
〃Blaisdell； did y'u ever heah of me in Texas？〃 he queried； dryly。
〃Wal； no； Blue； I cain't swear I did；〃 replied the rancher；
apologetically。 〃An' Isbel was always sort of' mysterious aboot
his acquaintance with you。〃
〃My name's not Blue。〃
〃Ahuh！ Wal； what is it； thenif I'm safe to ask？〃 returned
Blaisdell； gruffly。
〃It's King Fisher；〃 replied Blue。
The shock that stiffened Blaisdell must have been communicated to the
others。 Jean certainly felt amaze； and some other emotion not fully
realized； when he found himself face to face with one of the most
notorious characters ever known in Texasan outlaw long supposed
to be dead。
〃Men； I reckon I'd kept my secret if I'd any idee of comin' out of this
Isbel…Jorth war alive；〃 said Blue。 〃But I'm goin' to cash。 I feel it
heah。 。 。 。 Isbel was my friend。 He saved me from bein' lynched in
Texas。 An' so I'm goin' to kill Jorth。 Now I'll take it kind of y'u
if any of y'u come out of this aliveto tell who I was an' why I was
on the Isbel side。 Because this sheep an' cattle warthis talk of
Jorth an' the Hash Knife Gangit makes me； sick。 I KNOW there's been
crooked work on Isbel's side； too。 An' I never want it on record thet
I killed Jorth because he was a rustler。〃
〃By God； Blue！ it's late in the day for such talk；〃 burst out
Blaisdell； in rage and amaze。 〃But I reckon y'u know what y'u're
talkin' aboot。 。 。 。 Wal； I shore don't want to heah it。〃
At this juncture Bill Isbel quietly entered the cabin； too late to hear
any of Blue's statement。 Jean was positive of that； for as Blue was
speaking those last revealing words Bill's heavy boots had resounded
on the gravel path outside。 Yet something in Bill's look or in the way
Blue averted his lean face or in the entrance of Bill at that particular
moment； or all these together； seemed to Jean to add further mystery to
the long secret causes leading up to the Jorth…Isbel war。 Did Bill know
what Blue knew？ Jean had an inkling that he did。 And on the moment；
so perplexing and bitter； Jean gazed out the door； down the deserted
road to where his dead father lay； white…haired and ghastly in the
sunlight。
〃Blue； you could have kept that to yourself； as well as your real name；〃
interposed Jean； with bitterness。 〃It's too late now for either to do
any good。 。 。 。 But I appreciate your friendship for dad； an' I'm ready
to help carry out your plan。〃
That decision of Jean's appeared to put an end to protest or argument
from Blaisdell or any of the others。 Blue's fleeting dark smile was
one of satisfaction。 Then upon most of this group of men seemed to
settle a grim restraint。 They went out and walked and watched； they
came in again； restless and somber。 Jean thought that he must have
bent his gaze a thousand times down the road to the tragic figure of
his father。 That sight roused all emotions in his breast； and the
one that stirred there most was pity。 The pity of it！ Gaston Isbel
lying face down in the dust of the village street！ Patches of blood
showed on the back of his vest and one white…sleeved shoulder。 He had
been shot through。 Every time Jean saw this blood he had to stifle a
gathering of wild； savage impulses。
Meanwhile the afternoon hours dragged by and the village remained as
if its inhabitants had abandoned it。 Not even a dog showed on the
side road。 Jorth and some of his men came out in front of the store
and sat on the steps； in close convening groups。 Every move they；
made seemed significant of their confidence and importance。 About
sunset they went back into the store； closing door and window
shutters。 Then Blaisdell called the Isbel faction to have food and
drink。 Jean felt no hunger。 And Blue； who had kept apart from the
others； showed no desire to eat。 Neither did he smoke； though early
in the day he had never been without a cigarette between his lips。
Twilight fell and darkness came。 Not a light showed anywhere in
the blackness。
〃Wal； I reckon it's aboot time；〃 said Blue； and he led the way out of
the cabin to the back of the lot。 Jean strode behind him； carrying
his rifle and an ax。 Silently the other men followed。 Blue turned
to the left and led through the field until he came within sight of
a dark line of trees。
〃Thet's where the road turns off；〃 he said to Jean。 〃An' heah's the
back of Coleman's place。 。 。 。 Wal； Jean； good luck！〃
Jean felt the grip of a steel…like hand； and in the darkness he caught
the gleam of Blue's eyes。 Jean had no response in words for the laconic
Blue； but he wrung the hard； thin hand and hurried away in the darkness。
Once alone； his part of the business at hand