enough, an' the higher you are the
plainer you can see the difference; but I could see that unless Jabez
changed his ways, why, the oldest man the' was couldn't tell how far
Barbie would go. I didn't think a bit of myself, I can say that much;
all I looked at was what would make her the happiest, an' she was
welcome to take my life any way she wanted. If she chose to drag it out
for fifty years, or if she selected that I cash it in the next hour, my
only regret would be that I hadn't but one life to give her.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

THE WAYS OF WOMANKIND

Things went along purty much the same after that; but I could see 'at
the ol' man sensed a new tone in things, an' he begun to look agey. He
was still gallin' on Barbie, but I couldn't help but feel mighty sorry
for him. He had paid all them years 'at she was away at school, out o'
the joy of his own heart, lookin' for his pay in the time when she'd
come back an' be his chum again, an' here they was with a wall of ice
between 'em an' nairy a lovin' glance to melt it down.

The' come a warm spell toward the last o' the month; an' one evenin'
just as we was finishin' supper we heard a cry o' distress in a man's
voice--an' the cry sounded like "Barbie!" I reckon all our hearts stood
still, an' I reckon we all thought exactly the same thing. In about a
minute the cry came again, an' the ol' man jumped to his feet an'
pulled his gun. "If that's Silver Dick," sez he, "I'll kill him."

Barbie had also sprung up, an' she looked him square in the eyes. "If
you harm a hair of his head I'll--I'll do some shootin' myself."

She pulled a little gun out of her bosom, an' we all stood quiet for a
moment. It was easy to see 'at she wasn't bluffin': but I'm purty sure
that Jabez an' I had different idees as to what she meant. Jabez
thought she meant him self; but he hadn't got the name o' Cast Steel
for nothin', an' a sort of a grim smile crept onto his face. We stood
still for a moment, an' then we went out together, an' before long we
heard the sound again--a long, waverin', ghostly call in the gatherin'
twilight.

We hurried along, an' purty soon we saw a man lyin' across the trail.
The ol' man held his gun in his hand, an' so did Barbie, while I walked
a step behind doin' a heap o' thinkin'. If the ol' man killed Dick,
Barbie would shoot herself; if any one stopped the ol' man that one
would take on weight exceedin' fast, unless he crippled the of man
first. I finally