ith passion, Shorty leaped to the desk and
snatched the gun that Lawler had placed at Warden's hand. With almost
the same movement he pulled Warden out of his chair and threw him
against the rear wall of the room. He was after the man like a giant
panther; catching him by the throat with his left hand as he reached
him, crushing him against the wall so that the impact jarred the
building; while he savagely jammed the muzzle of the pistol deep into
the man's stomach, holding it there with venomous pressure, while his
blazing eyes bored into Warden's with a ferocious malignance. "Damn you,
Warden," he said hoarsely; "I ought to kill you!" He shook Warden with
his left hand, as though the man were a child in his grasp, sinking his
fingers into the flesh of his neck until Warden's eyes popped out and
his face grew purple. Then he released him so suddenly that Warden sank
to his knees on the floor, coughing, laboring, straining to draw his
breath.

He stood, huge and menacing, until Warden swayed to his feet and
staggered weakly to the chair in which he had been sitting when Lawler
entered; and then he leaned over the desk and peered into Warden's face.

"This ain't my game, Warden! If it was, I'd choke the gizzard out of you
and chuck you out of a window! I reckon I've got to save you for
Lawler--if he gets over this. If he don't, I'm comin' for you!"

He holstered his gun, stooped, lifted Lawler and gently swung him over
his shoulder; and without glancing back at Warden strode to the stairs,
out into the street and made his way to the Willets Hotel, a crowd of
curious citizens at his heels.

CHAPTER XXXIV

"GOOD OLD SHORTY!"

Della Wharton had watched from one of the windows of her room in the
hotel. She had seen Lawler and Shorty ride down the street to Warden's
office; she had seen Shorty come out carrying Lawler; and she heard
Shorty's steps on the stairs as he brought his burden up, preceded by
the proprietor.

She was standing in the hall when the proprietor and Shorty reached the
upper landing, and when the proprietor looked inquiringly at her she
silently motioned toward her room, and stood aside as Shorty entered and
placed his limp burden upon the bed. Lawler was unconscious and ghastly
pale.

Della instantly took charge of Lawler. Which means that she set
seriously to work with him, while Shorty stood by, his arms folded over
his huge chest, one hand caressing his chin, grimly watching.

Short