They returned the
pressure with a bone-crushing grip.
"Fight, Dan! It will make you forget her."
"Her skin is softer'n satin, Tex."
"Ay, but you'll never touch it again, Dan."
"Her eyes are deeper'n a pool at night an' her hair is all gold like
ripe corn."
"You'll never look into her eyes again, Dan, and you'll never touch
the gold of that hair."
"God!"
The word was hardly more than a whisper, but it brought Black Bart
leaping to his feet.
Dan spoke again: "Tex, I'm thankin' you for listenin' to me; I wanted
to talk. Bein' silent was burnin' me up. There's one thing more."
"Fire it out, lad."
"This evenin' I told you I hated no man but Jim Silent."
"Yes."
"An' now they's another of his gang. Sometime--when she's standin'
by--I'm goin' to take him by the throat till he don't breathe no more.
Then I'll throw him down in front of her an' ask her if she c'n kiss
the life back into his lips!"
Calder was actually shaking with excitement, but he was wise enough
not to speak.
"Tex!"
"Ay, lad."
"But when I've choked his damned life away----"
"Yes?"
"Ay, lad."
"There'll be five more that seen her shamin' me. Tex--all hell is
bustin' loose inside me!"
For a moment Calder watched, but that stare of cold hate mastered him.
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