Haines, with a curse, clapped his
left hand over his wounded right forearm, and then reached after his
weapon as it clattered to the floor. Once more he was too late. Dan
tossed his gun away with a snarl like the growl of a wolf; cleared the
table at a leap, and was at Haines's throat. The bandit fought back
desperately, vainly. One instant they struggled erect, swaying, the
next Haines was lifted bodily, and hurled to the floor. He writhed,
but under those prisoning hands he was helpless.
The sheriff headed the rush for the scene of the struggle, but Dan
stopped them.
"All you c'n do," he said, "is to bring me a piece of rope."
Jacqueline came running with a stout piece of twine which he twisted
around the wrists of Haines. Then he jerked the outlaw to his feet,
and stood close, his face inhumanly pale.
"If he dies," he said, pointing with a stiff arm back at the prostrate
figure of Tex Calder, "you--you'll burn alive for it!"
The sheriff and two of the other men turned the body of Calder on his
back. They tore open his shirt, and Jacqueline leaned over him with
a basin of water trying to wipe away the ever recurrent blood which
trickled down his breast.
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