Come close to me. I can't hear my own voice, hardly."
Dan bowed his head. A whisper murmured on for a moment, broken here
and there as Dan nodded his head and said, "Yes!"
"Then hold up your hand, your right hand," said Calder at last,
audibly.
Dan obeyed.
"You swear it?"
"So help me God!"
"Then here's the pledge of it!"
Calder fumbled inside his shirt for a moment, and then withdrawing his
hand placed it palm down in that of Dan. The breath of the marshal was
coming in a rattling gasp.
He said very faintly: "I've stopped the trails of twenty men. It took
the greatest of them all to get me. He got me fair. He beat me to the
draw!"
He stopped as if in awe.
"He played square--he's a better man than I. Dan, when you get him,
do it the same way--face to face--with time for him to think of hell
before he gets there. Partner, I'm going. Wish me luck."
"Tex--partner--good luck!"
It seemed as if that parting wish was granted, for Calder died with a
smile.
When Dan rose slowly Gus Morris stepped up and laid a hand on his
arm: "Look here, there ain't no use of bein' sad for Tex Calder. His
business was killin' men, an' his own time was overdue.
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