pill more blood."

"For my sake," he queried, with the old, mocking tone. Then he grew dark
with blood in his face, fierce with action of hands and body as he
bent nearer her. "Maybe you like him too well to see him shot?... Did
you--whisper often to this stranger?"

Joan felt herself weakening. Kells was so powerful in spirit and passion
that she seemed unable to fight him. She strove to withhold her reply,
but it burst forth, involuntarily.

"Yes--often."

That roused more than anger and passion. Jealousy flamed from him and it
transformed him into a devil.

"You held hands out of that window--and kissed--in the dark?" he cried,
with working lips.

Joan had thought of this so fearfully and intensely--she had battled so
to fortify herself to keep it secret--that he had divined it, had read
her mind. She could not control herself. The murder of Pearce had almost
overwhelmed her. She had not the strength to bite her tongue. Suggestion
alone would have drawn her then--and Kells's passionate force was
hypnotic.

"Yes," she whispered.

He appeared to control a developing paroxysm of rage.

"That settles you," he declared darkly. "But I'll do one more decent
thing by you. I'll marry you." Then he wheeled to his men. "Blicky,
there's a parson down in camp. Go on the run. Fetch him back if you have
to push him with a gun."

Blicky darted through the door and his footsteps thudded out of hearing.

"You can't force me to marry you," said Joan. "I--I won't open my lips."

"That's your affair. I've no mind to coax you," he replied, bitterly.
"But if you don't I'll try Gulden's way with a woman.... You remember.
Gulden's way! A cave and a rope!"

Joan's legs gave out under her and she sank upon a pile of blankets.
Then beyond Kells she saw Jim Cleve. With all that was left of her
spirit she flashed him a warning--a meaning--a prayer not to do the
deed she divined was his deadly intent. He caught it and obeyed. And he
flashed back a glance which meant that, desperate as her case was, it
could never be what Kells threatened.

"Men, see me through this," said Kells to the silent group. "Then any
deal you want--I'm on. Stay here or--sack the camp! Hold up the stage
express with gold for Bannack! Anything for a big stake! Then the trail
and the border."

He began pacing the floor. Budd and Smith strolled outside. Bate Wood
fumbled in his pockets for pipe and tobacco. Cleve sat down at the table
and leaned on his hand