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himself； an' that's when Isbel opened up。 He used up a whole magazine
on Somers an' then； suddenlike； he quit。 It didn't take me long to
figger mebbe he was out of shells。 When I seen him run I was certain
of it。 Then we made for the hosses an' rode after Isbel。 Pretty soon
I seen him runnin' like a deer down the ridge。 I yelled an' spurred
after him。 There is where Antonio quit me。 But I kept on。 An' I got
a shot at Isbel。 He ran out of sight。 I follered him by spots of blood
on the stones an' grass until I couldn't trail him no more。 He must
have gone down over the cliffs。 He couldn't have done nothin' else
without me seein' him。 I found his rifle； an' here it is to prove what
I say。 I had to go back to climb down off the Rim； an' I rode fast
down the canyon。 He's somewhere along that west wall； hidin' in the
brush； hard hit if I know anythin' aboot the color of blood。〃
〃Wal！ 。 。 。 that beats me holler； too；〃 ejaculated Colter。
〃Jim； what's to be done？〃 inquired Springer； eagerly。 If we're sharp
we can corral that half…breed。 He's the last of the Isbels。〃
〃More； pard。 He's the last of the Isbel outfit；〃 declared Colter。
〃If y'u can show me blood in his tracks I'll trail him。〃
〃Y'u can bet I'll show y'u；〃 rejoined the other rustler。 〃But listen！
Wouldn't it be better for us first to see if he crossed the canyon？
I reckon he didn't。 But let's make sure。 An' if he didn't we'll have
him somewhar along that west canyon wall。 He's not got no gun。 He'd
never run thet way if he had。 。 。 。 Jim； he's our meat！〃
〃Shore； he'll have that knife； 〃 pondered Colter。
〃We needn't worry about thet；〃 said the other； positively。 〃He's hard
hit； I tell y'u。 All we got to do is find thet bloody trail again an'
stick to itgoin' careful。 He's layin' low like a crippled wolf。〃
〃Springer； I want the job of finishin' that half…breed；〃 hissed Colter。
〃I'd give ten years of my life to stick a gun down his throat an' shoot
it off。〃
〃All right。 Let's rustle。 Mebbe y'u'll not have to give much more 'n
ten minnits。 Because I tell y'u I can find him。 It'd been easybut；
Jim； I reckon I was afraid。〃
〃Leave your hoss for me an' go ahaid；〃 the rustler then said； brusquely。
〃I've a job in the cabin heah。〃
〃Haw…haw！ 。 。 。 Wal； Jim； I'll rustle a bit down the trail an' wait。
No huntin' Jean Isbel alonenot fer me。 I've had a queer feelin'
about thet knife he used on Greaves。 An' I reckon y'u'd oughter let
thet Jorth hussy alone long enough to〃
〃Springer； I reckon I've got to hawg…tie her〃 His voice became
indistinguishable； and footfalls attested to a slow moving away of
the men。
Jean had listened with ears acutely strung to catch every syllable while
his gaze rested upon Ellen who stood beside the door。 Every line of her
body denoted a listening intensity。 Her back was toward Jean； so that he
could not see her face。 And he did not want to see； but could not help
seeing her naked shoulders。 She put her head out of the door。 Suddenly
she drew it in quickly and half turned her face； slowly raising her white
arm。 This was the left one and bore the marks of Colter's hard fingers。
She gave a little gasp。 Her eyes became large and staring。 They were
bent on the hand that she had removed from a step on the ladder。 On hand
and wrist showed a bright…red smear of blood。
Jean； with a convulsive leap of his heart； realized that he had left his
bloody tracks on the ladder as he had climbed。 That moment seemed the
supremely terrible one of his life。
Ellen Jorth's face blanched and her eyes darkened and dilated with
exceeding amaze and flashing thought to become fixed with horror。
That instant was the one in which her reason connected the blood
on the ladder with the escape of Jean Isbel。
One moment she leaned there； still as a stone except for her heaving
breast； and then her fixed gaze changed to a swift； dark blaze；
comprehending； yet inscrutable； as she flashed it up the ladder to
the loft。 She could see nothing； yet she knew and Jean knew that
she knew he was there。 A marvelous transformation passed over her
features and even over her form。 Jean choked with the ache in his throat。
Slowly she put the bloody hand behind her while with the other she still
held the torn blouse to her breast。
Colter's slouching； musical step sounded outside。 And it might have
been a strange breath of infinitely vitalizing and passionate life
blown into the well…springs of Ellen Jorth's being。 Isbel had no name
for her then。 The spirit of a woman had been to him a thing unknown。
She swayed back from the door against the wall in singular； softened
poise； as if all the steel had melted out of her body。 And as Colter's
tall shadow fell across the threshold Jean Isbel felt himself staring
with eyeballs that achedstraining incredulous sight at this woman who
in a few seconds had bewildered his senses with her transfiguration。
He saw but could not comprehend。
〃JimI heardall Springer told y'u；〃 she said。 The look of her
dumfounded Colter and her voice seemed to shake him visibly。
〃Suppose y'u did。 What then？〃 he demanded； harshly； as he halted with
one booted foot over the threshold。 Malignant and forceful； he eyed
her darkly； doubtfully。
〃I'm afraid；〃 she whispered。
〃What of？ Me？〃
〃No。 Ofof Jean Isbel。 He might kill y'u andthen where would I be？〃
〃Wal； I'm damned！〃 ejaculated the rustler。 〃What's got into y'u？〃
He moved to enter； but a sort of fascination bound him。
〃Jim； I hated y'u a moment ago；〃 she burst out。 〃But nowwith that
Jean Isbel somewhere nearhidin'watchin' to kill y'uan' maybe me；
tooII don't hate y'u any more。 。 。 。 Take me away。〃
〃Girl； have y'u lost your nerve？〃 he demanded。
〃My God！ Coltercain't y'u see？〃 she implored。 〃Won't y'u take me away？〃
〃I shore willpresently；〃 he replied； grimly。 〃But y'u'll wait till
I've shot the lights out of this Isbel。〃
〃No！〃 she cried。 〃Take me away now。 。 。 。 An' I'll give inI'll be
what y'uwant。 。 。 。 Y'u can do with meas y'u like。〃
Colter's lofty frame leaped as if at the release of bursting blood。
With a lunge he cleared the threshold to loom over her。
〃Am I out of my haid； or are y'u？〃 he asked； in low； hoarse voice。
His darkly corded face expressed extremest amaze。
〃Jim； I mean it；〃 she whispered； edging an inch nearer him； her white
face uplifted； her dark eyes unreadable in their eloquence and mystery。
〃I've no friend but y'u。 I'll beyours。 。 。 。 I'm lost。 。 。 。 What does
it matter？ If y'u want metake me NOWbefore I kill myself。〃
〃Ellen Jorth； there's somethin' wrong aboot y'u；〃 he responded。
〃Did y'u tell the truthwhen y'u denied ever bein' a sweetheart
of Simm Bruce？〃
〃Yes； I told y'u the truth。〃
〃Ahuh！ An' how do y'u account for layin' me out with every dirty name
y'u could give tongue to？〃
〃Oh； it was temper。 I wanted to be let alone。〃
〃Temper！ Wal； I reckon y'u've got one；〃 he retorted； grimly。 An' I'm
not shore y'u're not crazy or lyin'。 An hour ago I couldn't touch y'u。〃
〃Y'u may nowif y'u promise to take me awayat once。 This place has
got on my nerves。 I couldn't sleep heah with that Isbel