at his saddle.
But again he passed his hand over his forehead with that frown and
shutting of the eyes.

"I should like to be sure I should behave myself if I were condemned," I
said next. For it now came to me--which should I resemble? Could I read
the newspaper, and be interested in county elections, and discuss coming
death as if I had lost a game of cards? Or would they have to drag me
out? That poor wretch in the gray flannel shirt--"It was bad in the
stable," I said aloud. For an after-shiver of it went through me.

A third time his hand brushed his forehead, and I ventured some
sympathy.

"I'm afraid your head aches."

"I don't want to keep seeing Steve," he muttered.

"Steve!" I was astounded. "Why he--why all I saw of him was splendid.
Since it had to be. It was--"

"Oh, yes; Ed. You're thinking about him. I'd forgot him. So you didn't
enjoy Ed?"

At this I looked at him blankly. "It isn't possible that--"

Again he cut me short with a laugh almost savage. "You needn't to worry
about Steve. He stayed game."

What then had been the matter that he should keep seeing Steve--that his
vision should so obliterate from him what I still shivered at, and so
shake him now? For he seemed to be growing more stirred as I grew less.
I asked him no further questions, however, and we went on for several
minutes, he brooding always in the same fashion, until he resumed with
the hard indifference that had before surprised me:-- "So Ed gave you
feelings! Dumb ague and so forth."

"No doubt we're not made the same way," I retorted.

He took no notice of this. "And you'd have been more comfortable if he'd
acted same as Steve did. It cert'nly was bad seeing Ed take it that way,
I reckon. And you didn't see him when the time came for business.
Well, here's what it is: a man maybe such a confirmed miscreant that
killing's the only cure for him; but still he's your own species, and
you don't want to have him fall around and grab your laigs and show you
his fear naked. It makes you feel ashamed. So Ed gave you feelings, and
Steve made everything right easy for you!" There was irony in his voice
as he surveyed me, but it fell away at once into sadness. "Both was
miscreants. But if Steve had played the coward, too, it would have been
a whole heap easier for me." He paused before adding, "And Steve was not
a miscreant once."

His voice had trembled, and I felt the deep emotion that seemed to gain
upon him now that action w