"Delilah!"
"What?"
"Damn you, she's waitin' for you."
"In the name of God, Barry, why do you talk like this after you've
saved me from hell?"
He stretched out his hand eagerly, but Dan reined Satan back.
"Keep your hand. I hate you worse'n hell. There ain't room enough in
the world for us both. If you want to thank me do it by keepin' out of
my path. Because the next time we meet you're goin' to die, Haines.
It's writ in a book. Now feed your hoss the spur and run for Kate
Cumberland. But remember--I'm goin' to get you again if I can."
"Kate--" began Haines. "She sent you for me?"
Only the yellow blazing eyes made answer and the wail of a coyote far
away on the shadowy hill.
"Kate!" cried Haines again, but now there was a world of new meaning
in his voice. He swung his horse and spurred down the slope.
At the next hill-crest he turned in the saddle, saw the motionless
rider still outlined against the sky, and brought the bay to a halt.
He was greatly troubled. For a reason mysterious and far beyond the
horizon of his knowledge, Dan was surrendering Kate Cumberland to him.
"He's doing it while he still loves her," muttered Haines, "and am I
cur enough to take her from him after he has saved me from God knows
what?"
He turned his horse to ride back, but at that moment he caught
the weird, the unearthly note of Dan's whistling.
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