"
"An' her sittin' white-faced an' starin' at nothin' an' tryin' to
comfort _him!_" rumbled Kilduff, standing up under the stress of his
unwonted emotion. "My God, she was apologizin' for what she done, an'
tryin' to cheer him up, an' all the time her heart was bustin'."
He pulled out a violently coloured bandana and wiped his forehead.
"When we all get down to hell," he said, "they'll be quite a little
talkin' done about this play of Jim's--you c'n lay to that."
"Who's that singin' down the canyon?" asked Jordan. "It sounds
like--"
He would not finish his sentence as if he feared to prove a false
prophet. They rose as one man and stared stupidly at one another.
"Haines!" broke out Rhinehart at last.
"It ain't no ways possible!" said Kilduff. "And yet--by God, it is!"
They rushed for the door and made out two figures approaching, one on
horseback, and the other on foot.
"Haines!" called Purvis, his shrill voice rising to a squeak with his
excitement.
"Here I am!" rang back the mellow tones of the big lone rider, and in
a moment he and Jim Silent entered the room.
Glad faces surrounded him. There was infinite wringing of his hand and
much pounding on the back.
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