any damn' thing ye likes. I'm through with him," and turning
toward the astonished Stacy, he added, "I reckon we've done all we
needs ter do hyar. We've busted thar bottles--an' thet's ter say we've
busted thar hearts. Let's leave."

But Bear Cat's face was still grim and his words came with a
clear-clipped sharpness. "Not yit.... They've still got some guns over
thar.... I'll hold 'em where they're huddled, steady es a bird-dog. You
git them guns."

George Kelly went circumspectly around the circumference of the fire
and started back again, bearing an armful of rifles. At one point he
had to pass so close to the dejectedly hulking shoulders of a seated
figure that his knee brushed the coat--and at that instant the man
swept out his hand and jerked violently at the passing ankle.

Kelly did not go down, but he lunged stumblingly, and scattered weapons
broke from his grasp. Even then he had the quickness of thought to
throw them outward toward Bear Cat's feet and leaped side-wise himself,
still clinging to one that had not fallen.

Taking advantage of the excitement Jim Towers sought to recover his
feet--and almost succeeded. But with a readier agility Bear Cat leaped
and his right hand, still gripping the pistol, swept outward in an arc.
Under a blow that dropped him unconscious and bleeding from a face laid
open as if by a shod hoof, Towers collapsed, scattering red embers as
he fell.

Two others were on their feet now, but, facing Stacy's twin pistols and
the rifle in the hands of their deserter, they gauged the chances and
without a word stretched their hands high above their heads.

"Now well tek up a collection--of guns--once more," directed Stacy,
"an' leave hyar."

As two men backed through the gorge into darkness, out of which only
one had come, a murder party, disarmed and mortified, shambled to its
respective feet and busied itself with a figure that lay insensible
with its head among the scattered embers.

"George," said Turner a half hour later, "ye come ter me when I needed
ye right bad--but hit's mighty unfortunate thet ye hed ter do hit jest
thet way. Ye're ther only man I've got whose name is beknownst ter
Kinnard Towers--an' next ter me, thar won't be a man in ther hills
harder dogged. Ye hain't been married long--an' ye dastn't go home
now."

George Kelly shook his head. "I'm in hit now up ter my neck--an' thar
hain't no goin' back. Afore they hes ther chanst ter stop me though,
I'm goin' b