e
I'll put him. He loved the sound of runnin' water; and the wind'll be on
his face; and the tree'll sort of mark the place. Jerry, lad, would ye
like that?"

Now, while Mac Strann talked, inspiration came to Haw-Haw Langley, and
he stretched out his gaunt arms to it and gathered it in to his heart.

"Mac," he said, "don't you see no reason why Jerry wouldn't ask you to
go after Barry?"

"Eh?" queried Mac Strann, turning.

But as he turned, Haw-Haw Langley glided towards him, and behind him, as
if he found it easier to talk when the face of Mac was turned away. And
while he talked his hands reached out towards Mac Strann like one who is
begging for alms.

"Mac, don't you remember that Barry beat Jerry to the draw?"

"What's that to do with it?"

"But he beat him bad to the draw. I seen it. Barry _waited_ for Jerry.
Understand?"

"What of that?"

"Mac, you're blind! Jerry knowed you'd be throwing yourself away if you
went up agin Barry."

At this Mac Strann whirled with a suddenness surprising for one of his
bulk. Haw-Haw Langley flattened his gaunt frame against the wall.

"Mac!" he pleaded, "_I_ didn't say you'd be throwin' yourself away. It
was Jerry's idea."

"Did Jerry tell you that?" he asked.

"So help me God!"

"Did Jerry _want_ me to get Barry?"

"Why wouldn't he?" persisted the vulture, twisting his bony hands
together in an agony of alarm and suspense. "Ain't it nacheral, Mac?"

Mac Strann wavered where he stood.

"Somehow," he argued to himself, "it don't seem like killin' is right,
here."

The long hand of Langley touched his shoulder.

He whispered rapidly: "You remember last night when you was out of the
room for a minute? Jerry turned his head to me--jest the way he's lyin'
now--and I says: 'Jerry, is there anything I can do for you?'"

Mac Strann reached up and his big fingers closed over those of Haw-Haw.

"Haw-Haw," he muttered, "you was his frien'. I know that."

Haw-Haw gathered assurance.

He said: "Jerry answers to me: 'Haw-Haw, old pal, there ain't nothin'
you can do for me. I'm goin' West. But after I'm gone, keep Mac away
from Barry.'

"I says: 'Why, Jerry?"

"'Because Barry'll kill him, sure,' says Jerry.

"'I'll do what I can to keep him away from Barry,' says I, 'but don't
you want nothin' done to the man what killed you?'

"'Oh, Haw-Haw,' says Jerry, 'I ain't goin' to rest easy, I ain't goin'
to sleep in heaven--until I know Barry's been sent to hell. But