believed his sweetheart not only false to himself, but having favoured
his rival.

The bitter delusion, now removed, does not in any way alter his
determination. That is fixed beyond change, as he tells Simeon Woodley
while declaring it. He will proceed to Texas in quest of the assassin--
there kill him.

"The poor old place!" he says, pointing to the cottage as he passes it
on return to the swamp. "No more mine! Empty--every stick sold out of
it, I've heard. Well, let them go! I go to Texas."

"An' I with ye. To Texas, or anywhars, in a cause like your'n, Clancy.
Sime Woodley wouldn't desarve the name o' man, to hang back on a trail
like that. But, say! don't ye think we'd be more likely o' findin' the
game by stayin' hyar? Ef ye make it known that you're still alive, then
thar ain't been no murder done, an' Dick Darke 'll be sure to kum home
agin."

"If he came what could I do? Shoot him down like a dog, as he thought
he had me? That would make _me_ a murderer, with good chance of being
hanged for it. In Texas it is different. There, if I can meet him--.
But we only lose time in talking. You say, Woodley, you'll go with me?"

"In course I've said it, and I'll do as I've sayed. There's no backin'
out in this child. Besides, I war jest thinkin' o' a return to Texas,
afore I seed you. An' thar's another 'll go along wi' us; that's young
Ned Heywood, a friend o' your'n most as much as myself. Ned's wantin'
bad to steer torst the Lone Star State. So, thar'll be three o' us on
the trail o' Dick Darke."

"There will be _four_ of us."

"Four! Who's the t'other, may I axe?"

"A man I've sworn to take to Texas along with me. A brave, noble man,
though his skin be--. But never mind now. I'll tell you all about it
by-and-by. Meanwhile we must get ready. There's not a moment to lose.
A single day wasted, and I may be too late to settle scores with Richard
Darke. There's some one else in danger from him--"

Here Clancy's utterance becomes indistinct, as if his voice were stifled
by strong emotion.

"Some one else!" echoes Sime, interrupting; "who mout ye mean, Clancy?"

"Her."

"That air's Helen Armstrong. I don't see how she kin be in any danger
from Dick Darke. Thet ere gurl hev courage enuf to take care o'
herself, an' the spirit too. Besides, she'll hev about her purtectors a
plenty."

"There can be no safety against an assassin. Who should know that
better than I? Woodley, that