dburn asked, seeing
her agitation. Alice considered a moment.

"I do," she answered, at last. "This Fearless Frank, whom I came here
with, had a duel with a man, just above Deadwood, whose name was
Edward Harris!"

"My God;--and his fate--?"

"He was instantly killed, and left lying where he dropped!"

There was a scream of agony, just here, and a heavy fall.

Anita had fainted!

CHAPTER XIV.

THE TRANSIENT TRIUMPH.

Redburn sprung from his seat, ran over to her side, and raised her
tenderly in his arms.

"Poor thing!" he murmured, gazing into her pale, still face, "the
shock was too much for her. No wonder she fainted." He laid her on the
couch, and kept off the others who crowded around.

"Bring cold water!" he ordered, "and I will soon have her out of this
fit."

Alice hastened to obey, and Anita's face and hands were bathed in the
cooling liquid until she began to show signs of returning
consciousness.

"You may now give me the particulars of the affair," Redburn said,
rising and closing the door, for a chilly breeze was sweeping into the
cabin.

Alice proceeded to comply with his request by narrating what had
occurred and, as nearly as possible, what had been said. When she had
concluded, he gazed down for several moments thoughtfully into the
face of Anita. There was much yet that was beyond his powers of
comprehension--a knotty problem for which he saw no immediate
solution.

"What do you think about it, "General"?" he asked, turning to the
mine-locater. "Have we sufficient evidence to hang this devil in
scarlet?"

"Hardly, boyee, hardly. 'Peers te me, 'cordin' to ther gal's tell,
thet thar war a fair shake all around, an' as duelin' ar' more or less
ther fashun 'round these parts,--considera'bly more o' less 'n less o'
more--et ain't law-fell ter yank a critter up by ther throat!"

"I know it is not, according to the customs of this country of the
Black Hills; but, look at it. That fellow, who I am satisfied is a
black-hearted knave, has not only taken the life of poor Harris, but,
very probably, has given his sister her death-blow. The question is:
should he go unpunished in the face of all this evidence?"

"Yes. Let him go; _I_ will be the one to punish him!"

It was Anita who spoke. She had partly arisen on the couch; her face
was streaked with water and slightly haggard; her hair blew unconfined
about her neck and shoulders; her eyes blazed with a wild, almost
savage fire.