felt that
this situation, the greatest in Joe's life, belonged definitely to Joe,
was almost sacredly Joe's own property. Also he felt that he was about
to learn many things which had puzzled him. Therefore he held himself
back, at the same time keeping his hold upon Red Hannigan.

During this moment of silence, while Larry was wondering what was going
to happen, his eyes also took in the figure of Maggie, all her powers
of action and expression still paralyzed by appalling consternation. He
understood, at least to a degree, what she was going through. He knew
this much of her plan: that she had intended to cut loose in some way
from Barney and Old Jimmie, and that she had intended that her father
should continue to cherish the dream that had been his happiness for so
long. And now her father had come upon her in the company of Barney and
Old Jimmie and in a situation whose every superficial circumstance was
such as to make him believe the worst of her!

Joe turned on the smartly dressed Barney. "I'll take you first, you
imitation swell, because I'm saving Jimmie Carlisle to the last!" went
on Joe's crunching voice. "I'm going to twist your damned neck for what
you've helped do to my girl, but if you want to say anything first, say
it."

Barney's response was a swift movement of his right hand toward his
left armpit. But Barney Palmer, like almost all his kind, was a very
indifferent gunman; and he had no knowledge of the reputation for
masterful quickness that had been Joe Ellison's twenty years earlier.
Before his compact automatic was fairly out of its holster beneath his
armpit, it was in Joe Ellison's hands.

"I sized you up for that kind of rat and was watching you," continued
Joe in his same awful grimness. "I'm not going to shoot you, unless you
make me. I'm going to twist that pretty neck of yours. But first, out
with anything you've got to say for yourself!"

"I haven't had anything to do with this business," said Barney, trying
to affect a bold manner.

"You lie! I know that in this game against Dick Sherwood, in which you
used my girl, you were the real leader!"

"Well--even if I did use your girl, I only used her the way I found
her."

"You lie again! I know how your kind work: cleverly putting crooked
ideas into girls' minds, and exciting their imagination, so they'll work
with you. Your case is closed." He turned to his one-time friend. "What
have you got to say for yourself, Jimmie Carlisle?"