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Updated: May 6, 2025
This time Bettins' reply was lost in a sudden shout of voices rising from the lower end of the flat. The vague forms of several horsemen appeared; there came the thunderous beat of flying hoofs. Howard's lips grew tight-pressed. True lifted himself on his elbow. 'It's Jim coming back! he called triumphantly. 'This way, Jim!
While he sought for a sight of Bettins he hastily filled the empty chambers of his own weapon. Now only he realized how brief a time had elapsed since Ed True's first shot. The grass fire was blazing, but had crept up the draw only a few feet. And Bettins had not yet had the time to come from the other side, down into the gulch and up on this side.
He saw, further, that Monte had come a step nearer and had stopped. In a little Bettins would be to reckon with. It was still close enough for a chance hit, too far for absolute accuracy. Walking slowly, realizing that he had but four shots left and that those gone he would never be given time to reload, Howard came half a dozen paces toward Monte before he stopped.
He seemed scarcely conscious of the presence of the two wounded men; tilted back in his chair, smoking one cigar after another, he scarcely for an instant lost sight of Helen. In the morning early there was the sound of hoofs and then men's voices. It was Carr who went to the door. 'It is Bettins and a couple of other men, he said over his shoulder.
Bettins is over yonder; he didn't mix in. 'I hope, said Longstreet nervously, 'that you haven't started any trouble on my account. 'No trouble at all, said Howard dryly. Yellow Barbee laughed and went to look at Devine. Ed True was still cursing where he had propped himself up with his back to a rock.
He saw Bettins; the man was standing still staring toward his fallen companions. The fire leaped higher, its light danced out in widening circles, touching at last the spot where Howard stood, where Ed True and Monte Devine lay. 'Well, Bettins? called Howard abruptly. 'What about you? Are you coming over? Bettins was silent a moment. The light flickered on the gun in his hand.
Presently he raised his voice to inquire anxiously: 'Hurt much, Monte? And you, True? No answer from Monte. True shrieked at him: 'Come, over and plug him, Bettins. For God's sake, plug the damn cowman. Still Bettins hesitated. 'Monte dead? he demanded. 'How the hell do I know? complained True. 'Come, plug him, Bettins.
Within an hour after the return of Bettins there were a score of men on the spot; again and again rose sharp words as every man, alert to protect his own interests, was ready for a quarrel. They dragged stones to mark their boundaries; they cut and hammered stakes, they left their chosen sites now and then and altered their first judgments and restaked somewhere else.
He's just beat it with a lot of his rotten crowd, Monte Devine and Bettins and True. They're up to something crooked. 'I forgot. Moraga laughed greasily. 'Jim was in the back room there talking to Sanchia! Nice girl, no? he taunted Barbee. 'I'll kill you some day, Moraga, cursed Barbee thickly. Howard turned back to the door. 'I want your horse, Barbee, he said quickly. 'All right?
He pulled himself up. A loosened rock rolled noisily into the gulch. They heard it and stopped. He knew when they saw him and knew who they were as he heard them call to each other. They were Ed True and Monte Devine. And Ed True, as he called, whipped out his revolver and fired. 'He's on this side, Bettins, called Monte loudly. 'Take your time. He had not fired nor had Howard.
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