I seen no more of thim.

"Durade made wild an' wicked lunges at Neale, only to be jerked off
his balance. I heerd the bones crack in the arm Neale held. The greaser
screamed. Sudden he wuz turned agin, an' swung backwards so thot Neale
grabbed the other arm--the wan wot held the knife. It wuz a child in the
grasp of a giant. Neale shure looked beautiful, I niver wished so much
in me loife fer Casey as thin. He would hev enjoyed thot foight, fer he
bragged of his friendship fer Neale. An'--"

"Go on, man, end your story!" ordered the general, breathlessly.

"Wal, b'gorra, there wuz more crackin' of bones, an' sich screams as
I niver heerd from a mon. Tumble, blood-curdlin'!... Neale held both
Durade's hands an' wuz squeezin' thot knife-handle so the greaser
couldn't let go.

"Thin Neale drew out thot hand of Durade's--the wan wot held the
knife--an' made Durade jab himself, low down!... My Gawd! how thot
jenteel Spaniard howled! I seen the blade go in an' come out red. Thin
Slingerland tore thim apart, an' the greaser fell. He warn't killed.
Mebbe he ain't goin' to croak. But he'll shure hev to l'ave Roarin'
City, an he'll shure be a cripple fer loife."

McDermott looked at the empty glass.

"That's all, Gineral. An' if it's jist the same to yez I'll hev another
drink."

32

The mere sight of Warren Neale had transformed life for Allie Lee.
The shame of being forced to meet degraded men, the pain from Durade's
blows, the dread that every hour he would do the worst by her or
kill her, the sudden and amazing recognition between her and her
father--these became dwarfed and blurred in the presence of the glorious
truth that Neale was there.

She had recognized him with reeling senses and through darkening eyes.
She had seen him leap before her father to confront that glittering-eyed
Durade. She had neither fear for him nor pity for the Spaniard.

Sensations of falling, of being carried, of the light and dust and noise
of the street, of men around her, of rooms and the murmur of voices, of
being worked over and spoken to by a kindly woman, of swallowing what
was put to her mouth, of answering questions, of letting other clothes
be put upon her; she was as if in a trance, aware of all going on
about her, but with consciousness riveted upon one stunning fact--his
presence. When she was left alone this state gradually wore away, and
there remained a throbbing, quivering suspense of love. Her despair had
ended