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But her sudden fear, after the way of fear when there is an unfounded dread at the bottom of it, gripped her as it had never done before; she felt a terrified certainty that if the two men met it would be Alan who died. She began to tremble. Far down in the hollow lying between Red Dirt Hill and the eminence whereon stood Sanchia and Courtot, they saw a man riding.
Finally, he had Sandy Weaver's word for it that Courtot went deathly-white when he heard of the slain calf and the tracks, and that forthwith Courtot had again disappeared. The imprint of a man's bare foot spelled an Indian from the northern wastes, and Courtot, during the three months of his disappearance, had had ample time to go far into the north.
The voice was as nearly dead and expressionless as a human voice can be; only the words themselves carried his insolence. 'Please, can I play in your game? To Barbee's youth it was plain challenge and, though he hated the man with his whole soul, Barbee's youth answered hotly: 'I'll take you on, Jim Courtot, any day. Thereafter Courtot ignored Barbee.
At that moment Howard would have been glad than otherwise to have Jim Courtot present himself. 'Let him start something, damn him, he growled savagely to himself, 'any time. And he began wondering if now John Carr were sitting with Helen and her father in front of their little home?
Then Helen asked steadily: 'Is there no way out for you and Jim Courtot but the way of violence? He sought to evade, saying lightly that it began to look as though he and Courtot could no more meet than could spring and autumn. But when she asked directly, 'What would happen if you did meet? he answered bluntly. His mood was not quarrelsome this morning; he wanted no needless fight with any man.
'So you're back, are you? said Chuck. 'We'd begun to wonder if you'd hit the trail for some other where. Special, he added significantly, 'since it's been published kind of wide and large that you and Jim Courtot was both packing shooting-irons.
And he surmised with rising anger that recently Courtot had seen Sanchia and that again Courtot was Sanchia's right hand. Here was a little hollow; on two sides were steep banks. Along these banks lay four big steers, dead, a rifle bullet through each one. Already the buzzards were gathering. Dave Terril came upon him and found him bending over one of the big stiffening bodies.
When a narrow-headed individual remarked that he had heard that the widow was getting nothing out of it, but that Courtot and his crowd had cheated her, they hooted and jeered at him until he withdrew wondering at their insane attitude. It was generally taken for granted that Sanchia Murray knew what she was about. If she chose to hunt in couple with Jim Courtot, that was her business.
He came into a clearing; had they not from the beginning suspected who it must be they would have known Longstreet from that distance, from his characteristic carriage in the saddle. No man ever rode like James Edward Longstreet. And Courtot and Sanchia had seen him. He jogged along placidly. They could fancy him smiling contentedly. Helen and Howard watched him; he was coming toward them.
'You've got one on me, though, pardner. 'Courtot here? demanded Howard. Monte Devine laughed then. 'Hello, Al, he returned lightly. 'You and Jim sure play a great little game of tag, don't you? 'He isn't here, then? 'Left an hour ago. There's just me and Bettins and True on the job. Come on in and make yourself at home. Howard came on slowly.
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