Say nothing or anything–whatever you like,” continued Kells. “You did me a favor once over in California. I like to remember favors. Use your head now. Hit the trail.”

“Not without her. I’ll fight first,” declared Roberts, and his hands began to twitch and jerk.

Joan did not miss the wonderful intentness of the pale-gray eyes that watched Roberts–his face, his glance, his hands.

“What good will it do to fight?” asked Kells. He laughed coolly. “That won’t help her … You ought to know what you’ll get.”

“Kells–I’ll die before I leave that girl in your clutches,” flashed Roberts. “An’ I ain’t a-goin’ to stand here an’ argue with you. Let her come–or–“

“You don’t strike me as a fool,” interrupted Kells. His voice was suave, smooth, persuasive, cool. What strength–what certainty appeared behind it! “It’s not my habit to argue with fools. Take the chance I offer you. Hit the trail. Life is precious, man! … You’ve no chance here. And what’s one girl more or less to you?”

“Kells, I may be a fool, but I’m a man,” passionately rejoined Roberts. “Why, you’re somethin’ inhuman! I knew that out in the gold-fields. But to think you can stand there–an’ talk sweet an’ pleasant–with no idee of manhood! … Let her come now–or–or I’m a-goin’ for my gun!”

“Roberts, haven’t you a wife–children?”

“Yes, I have,” shouted Roberts, huskily. “An’ that wife would disown me if I left Joan Randle to you. An’ I’ve got a grown girl. Mebbe some day she might need a man to stand between her an’ such as you, Jack Kells!”

All Roberts’ pathos and passion had no effect, unless to bring out by contrast the singular and ruthless nature of Jack Kells.

“Will you hit the trail?”

“No!” thundered Roberts,

Until then Joan Randle had been fascinated, held by the swift interchange between her friend and enemy. But now she had a convulsion of fear. She had seen men fight, but never to the death. Roberts crouched like a wolf at bay. There was a madness upon him. He shook like a rippling leaf. Suddenly his shoulder lurched–his arm swung.

Joan wheeled away in horror, shutting her eyes, covering her ears, running blindly. Then upon her muffled hearing burst the boom of a gun.

The Border Legion

3

Joan ran on, stumbling over rocks and brush, with a darkness before her eyes, the terror in her soul. She was out in the cedars when someone grasped her from behind. She felt the hands as the coils of a snake. Then she was ready to faint, but she must not faint. She struggled away, stood free. It was the man Bill who had caught her. He said something that was unintelligible.