r. Folks knows what you tried to pull off up
there on the bench. Reports was that the pilgrim had bumped you off but
you don't notice no crepe hangin' around nowheres, do you? An' when you
turn up alive an' kickin' you don't notice 'em gittin' out no brass band
about it, do you? An' I'm givin' you a tip--if I was you I'd right now
be kickin' up a cloud of white dust a hell of a ways from Wolf River.
Jest cast yer eyes around an' you'll see that there's a bunch of live
ones missin'. Well, they're goin' to come driftin' back in a little, an'
it's dollars to buffalo chips that when they do they'll start in an
finish up the job the pilgrim botched."

Purdy's face went suddenly pale in the lamplight. The hand dropped limp
from the gun-butt, and as he glanced swiftly about the room he moistened
his lips with his tongue. There was a distinct whine in his voice as he
forced his eyes to meet the other's steady gaze: "I didn't do nothin'.
They--they can't do it."

"Can't do it--hell! A tree's a tree, ain't it? An' a rope's a rope?"

Purdy swayed heavily against the bar: "Give me a drink?" he begged,
"jest one--I'm broke."

Without a word the other poured a full glass of liquor and pushed it
toward him. Purdy reached for it, and part of the contents slopped upon
his trembling fingers before the glass left the bar. Seizing it with
both hands, he drained it at a gulp, and hurriedly made his way the
length of the hall. In the doorway he paused and swept the room with a
glance of malignant hate: "To hell with you!" he cried, shrilly, "to
hell with you all!" And staggering down the steps, mounted the first
horse he came to and fled wildly into the dark. All night he rode, with
rage in his heart toward all men, a rage that found vent in wild raving
and cursing and gradually fixed itself into a sullen hate--a smouldering
savage hatred that included all mankind and womankind, but centred with
abysmal brutishness upon the Texan, the pilgrim, the pilgrim's girl, and
strangely enough, upon the bartender who had warned him to flee.

At daylight he entered the cabin of a nester who had not yet returned
from the celebration, and according to the custom of the country cooked
himself a meal and ate it. Then, in defiance of the custom of the
country, he proceeded to make up a pack of provisions, helping himself
liberally from the limited store. And not only provisions he took, but
cooking utensils as well, and a pair of heavy blankets from the