whispered Red.

"Yes, yonder by the door," said the Kid. "You c'n jest see him."

"Don't be a fool," said the gang leader. "There's nobody here but us."

"He's wearin' strange clothes," said Red.

"He looks like a carpenter by his kit o' tools," said the Kid.

"Here, pull yourselves together, men," said the gang leader; "you're
dippy, there's nobody here. Where's your nerve?"

But Red made no move to obey. He thrust his glass from him and rose and
leaned over the table staring. The other men shrank back glancing at the
two figures, for the Kid had also dashed the proffered glass aside.

"I see him," he said, "he's lookin' at me, he's lookin' through me."

In his excitement he took a step forward and the table went over with a
crash. The two men passed their hands over their eyes in bewilderment.

"Why, there ain't nobody here," said the Kid.

"But I seen him I tell you," persisted Red.

"And so did I."

"Well, he's gone, whoever he was, accordin' to your own showin'," said
the gang leader contemptuously. "Now brace up. Take your liquor. Get a
move on youse."

"Not me," exclaimed Red suddenly.

"Nor me," said the Kid.

"What d'ye mean?"

"I won't do it."

"Neither will I."

Both men moved to the door. The gang leader sprang to intercept them,
his arms upraised, his hands clenched.

"Lemme pass," said Red.

"Are you goin' to give us away?"

"No," answered Red. "But you don't rob no house, an' you don't kill no
man to-night."

"You all know what that means," cried the leader. "Here you men grab
'em."

But the rest of the gang hung back.

"Mebbe they did see somethin'," said one.

"You cowardly dogs," cried the leader.

"We won't mention no names to nobody," said the Kid, "but you can't
pull them jobs off. We'll jest warn 'em."

"You swore you'd be true to the gang, that you'd obey orders an' follow
directions."

"We won't give ye away but I'm goin' to quit the gang an' go to work,"
said Red.

"Me too," said the Kid.

"Work! Hell!" exclaimed the gang leader, but they shoved him out of the
way and went out of the door.

V

Comforter

"NEITHER DO I CONDEMN THEE"

V

The Comforter

She was a daughter of shame. Even inexperience could see that as she
wandered up and down the streets of the town, desperate, impelled to go
on by a force too strong for her to resist. She trod the pavement, yet
loathed the necessity and hated herself for her compliance. She had