"
Kate tugged at the restraining hand of Silent, not in an attempt to
escape, but in order to get closer to Haines.
"Was this your friendship?" she said, her voice shaking with hate and
sorrow, "to bring me here as a lure for Whistling Dan? Listen to me,
all of you! He's escaped you now, and he'll come again. Remember him,
for he shan't forget you!"
"You hear her?" said Silent to Haines.
"Is this what you want me to turn loose?"
"Silent," said Haines, "it isn't the girl alone you've double crossed.
You've crooked me, and you'll pay me for it sooner or later!"
"Day or night, winter or summer, I'm willing to meet you an' fight it
out. Rhinehart and Purvis, take this girl back to the clearing!"
They approached, Purvis still staring at the hand from which only a
moment before his gun had been knocked by the shot of Whistling Dan.
It was a thing which he could not understand--he had not yet lost a
most uncomfortable sense of awe. Haines made no objection when they
went off, with Kate walking between them. He knew, now that his blind
anger had left him, that it was folly to draw on a fight while the
rest of Silent's men stood around them.
"An' the rest of you go back to the clearin'.
Pages:
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159