d, breathing
heavily. The sober calm was gone.

Belllounds lowered the half-raised gun, instantly answering to the
strange break in Wade's strained dominance.

"Don't tell me--any more! I'll not listen!... I won't fight! Wade,
you're crazy! Let me off an' I swear--"

"Buster, I told Collie you were three years in jail!" suddenly
interrupted Wade.

A mortal blow dealt Belllounds would not have caused such a shock of
amaze, of torture. The secret of the punishment meted out to him by his
father! The hideous thing which, instead of reforming, had ruined him!
All of hell was expressed in his burning eyes.

"Ahuh!... I've known it long!" cried Wade, tragically. "Buster Jack,
you're the man who must hear my story.... _I'll tell you_...."

* * * * *

In the aspen grove up the slope of Sage Valley Columbine and Wilson were
sitting on a log. Whatever had been their discourse, it had left Moore
with head bowed in his hands, and with Columbine staring with sad eyes
that did not see what they looked at. Columbine's mind then seemed a
dull blank. Suddenly she started.

"Wils!" she cried. "Did you hear--anything?"

"No," he replied, wearily raising his head.

"I thought I heard a shot," said Columbine. "It--it sort of made me
jump. I'm nervous."

Scarcely had she finished speaking when two clear, deep detonations rang
out. Gun-shots!

"There!... Oh, Wils! Did you hear?"

"Hear!" whispered Moore. He grew singularly white. "Yes--yes!...
Collie--"

"Wils," she interrupted, wildly, as she began to shake. "Just a little
bit ago--I saw Jack riding down the trail!"

"Collie!... Those two shots came from Wade's guns I'd know it among a
thousand!... Are you sure you heard a shot before?"

"Oh, something dreadful has happened! Yes, I'm sure. Perfectly sure. A
shot not so loud or heavy."

"My God!" exclaimed Moore, staring aghast at Columbine.

"Maybe that's what Wade meant. I never saw through him."

"Tell me. Oh, I don't understand!" wailed Columbine, wringing her hands.

Moore did not explain what he meant. For a crippled man, he made quick
time in getting to his horse and mounting.

"Collie, I'll ride down there. I'm afraid something has happened.... I
never understood him!... I forgot he was Hell-Bent Wade! If there's been
a--a fight or any trouble--I'll ride back and meet you."

Then he rode down the trail.

Columbine had come without her horse, and she started homeward on foot.