re're the pack-mule loaded with water and grub. Plenty of water.
We'll just change places, that's all. You take them and go back to her
and I'll stay here."

Dick walked toward the spring, but, a spell of weakness came over him
and he almost sank to the ground. Jack caught him and held him up.

"It would be justice," muttered Dick, as if apologizing for his
acceptance of Jack's renunciation.

Leaning over his shoulder, Jack said: "Sure, that's it, justice. Just
tell her I tried to work it out according to my lights--ask her
to--forgive, to forgive, that's all."

Jack took off his canteen and threw the strap around Dick's neck. As
Lane weakly staggered toward the mouth of the canon, where the horse
had been staked out, Jack halted him with a request:

"There's another thing; I left home under a cloud. Buck McKee charged
me with holding up and killing 'Ole Man' Terrill for three thousand
dollars. Tell Slim Hoover how you paid me just that sum of money."

"I will, and I'll fix the murder where it belongs, and then fix the
real murderer."

Jack stepped to Lane's side and, holding out his hand, said: "Thank
you. I don't allow you can forgive me?"

"I don't know that I could," coldly answered Dick.

"You'd better be going."

Again Dick started for the horse, but a new thought came to him.
Pausing, he said. "She can't marry again until--"

"Well?" asked Jack; his voice was full of sinister meaning, and he
fingered his gun as he spoke.

Dick realized at once that Jack's plan was to end his life in the
desert with a revolver-shot.

"You mean to--" he shuddered.

Jack drew his gun. "Do you want me to do it here and now?" he cried.

Staggering over to him the weakened man grappled with his old friend,
trying to disarm him. "No, no, you sha'n't!" he shouted, as Jack shook
him free.

"Why not?" demanded Jack. "Go. There's my horse--he's yours--go! When
you get to the head of the canon, you'll hear and know--know that she
is free and I have made atonement."

"Why should I hesitate?" argued Dick with himself. "I wanted to die. I
came here in the desert to make an end of it all, but when I met death
face to face, the old spirit of battle came over me, and fought it
back, step by step. Now--now you come and offer me more than life--you
offer to restore to me all that made life dear, all that you have
stolen from me by treachery and fraud. Why should I hesitate? She is
mine, mine in heart, mine by all t