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Updated: June 20, 2025
It seemed to her that Deveny must have misunderstood Stroud's action, for it was clear to her even in the stress and confusion of the moment that Deveny thought Stroud had attacked her through motives that were strictly personal. Anyway, before Stroud could speak Deveny's pistol glittered. And malignantly, his eyes blazing with a jealous, evil light, he shot Stroud twice.
Evidence of that passion had been revealed to Harlan at Lamo, by the attack on Barbara by Deveny's hireling Higgins; by the subtle advances of John Haydon. It seemed to Harlan that all of these men had been and were equally determined to possess the girl.
It wasn't so bad while old Morgan was here, but now he's gone, an' she's got to play it a lone hand. "You git riled an' sling your gun on me if you want to. I know I wouldn't have a chance. But just the same, I'm tellin' you. You know that more'n half that outfit you've put me at the head of is Deveny's men sneakin', thievin', murderin' outlaws?" "You wantin' to quit, Red?" said Harlan, smoothly.
Yet it was there; and when Deveny set his glass down and looked straight at Rogers, it was that fear which brought the fawning, insincere smirk to Rogers' lips. "See the girl?" questioned Rogers. Deveny laughed lowly. Apparently he did not notice the glow in Rogers' eyes; but had Rogers looked closely he might have seen Deveny's lips straighten as he shot a glance at the other.
She had thought after she had left the promontory of concealing herself somewhere in the valley, to wait until she discovered who the men were and what their errand was; but she had a fear that if the men were Deveny's outlaws they might return up the valley and accidentally come upon her.
Overcome with nausea over the conviction that Deveny's order meant death to Red Linton, Barbara lay slack in Deveny's arms for a long time. A premonitory silence had settled over the valley; she heard the dull thud of hoofs behind her, regular and swift, the creaking of the saddle leather as the animal under her loped forward. There was no other sound.
It seemed to her that they would mock her as the slattern had mocked her, should she appeal to them. And as for the men of Lamo, they were not to be considered. She was certain she could not induce one of them to act contrary to Deveny's wishes.
For Deveny's fear had gone, now that the dread presence had centered its attention elsewhere, and he was determined to discover the secret of Harlan's hesitating "draw," the curious movement that had given the man his sobriquet, "Drag." The discovery of that secret might mean much to him in the future; it might even mean life to him if Harlan decided to remain in the section.
Get them up!" It seemed ludicrous to Barbara, despite the shadow of tragedy that lurked over it all the embarrassed manner in which Lamo's citizens complied with the command, and the spectacle they presented afterward. Deveny's hands were the last to go up.
Into Harlan's eyes as he talked had come that vacuous light that had been in them when he had faced Deveny's men in Lamo the light that was always in his eyes whenever he faced more than one man, with trouble imminent. He saw the face of every man in the group while seeming not to be looking at any of them.
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