“’BuffaloGirls!’“exclaimedthewoman。“Oldtimes!Oldtimes!“
“Come，“saidMcLean。“Walk。“Andhetookher。
Herheadwasfullofthemusic。Forgettingallbutthat，shewentwithhimeasily，andthetwomadetheirfirstturnsaroundtheroom。Wheneverhebroughtherneartheentrance，sheleanedawayfromhimtowardtheopendoor，wheretheoldfiddletunewascominginfromthedark。Butpresentlyshenoticedthatshewasbeingled，andherfaceturnedsullen。
“Walk，“saidMcLean。
“Doyouthinkso？“saidshe，laughing。Butshefoundthatshemustgowithhim。Thustheytookafewmoreturns。
“You’rehurtingme，“shesaidnext。Thenalookofdrowsycunningfilledhereyes，andshefixedthemuponMcLean’sdoggedface。“He’sgone，Lin，“
shemurmured，raisingherhandwhereBarkerhaddisappeared。
SheknewMcLeanhadheardher，andsheheldbackonthequickenedpacethathehadset。
“Leavemedown。Youhurt，“shepleaded，hangingonhim。
Thecow-puncherputforthmorestrength。
“Justthefloor，“shepleadedagain。“Justoneminuteonthefloor。He’llthinkyoucouldnotkeepmelifted。“
StillMcLeanmadenoanswer，butsteadilyledherroundandround，ashehadundertaken。
“He’splayingout!“sheexclaimed。“You’llbeplayedoutsoon。“Shelaughedherselfhalf-awake。Themandrewabreath，andshelaughedmoretofeelhishandandarmstraintosurmountherincreasingresistance。
“Jessamine!“shewhisperedtohim。“Jessamine!Doc’llneversuspicionyou，Lin。“
“Talksense，“saidhe。
“It’ssenseI’mtalking。Leavemegotosleep。Ah，ah，I’mgoing!I’llgo；youcan’t——“
“Walk，walk!“herepeated。Helookedatthedoor。Anachewasnumbinghisarms。
“Ohyes，walk!Whatcanyouandallyourmuscle——Ah，walkmetoglory，then，craziness!I’mgoing；I’llgo。I’mquittingthisoutfitforkeeps。
Lin，you’reawfulhandsometo-night!I’llbet——I’llbetshehasneverseenyoulookso。Letme——letmewatchyus。Anyway，sheknowsIcamefirst!“
Hegraspedhersavagely。“First!Youandtwentyofyu’don’t——God!!whatdoItalktoherfor？“
“Because——because——I’mgoing；I’llgo。Heslungmeoff——buthehadtosling——youcan’t——stop——
Herheadwasrolling，whilethelipssmiled。Herwordscamethroughdeeperanddeeperveils，fearless，defiant，achallengeinarticulate，acontinuousmutter。Againhelookedatthedoorashestruggledtomovewithherdraggingweight。Thedropsrolledonhisforeheadandneck，hisshirtwaswet，hishandsslippeduponherribbons。Suddenlythedruggedbodyfoldedandsankwithhim，pullinghimtohisknees。Whilehetookbreathso，themutterwenton，andthroughthedoorcamethejiggingfiddle。Afireofdesperationlightedinhiseyes。“BuffaloGirls!“heshouted，hoarsely，inherear，andgotoncemoreonhisfeetwithherasthoughtheyweretwopartnersinaquadrille。Stillshoutinghertowake，hestruckatotteringsortofstep，andso，withthebendingloadinhisgrip，strovefeeblytodancethelaudanumaway。
Feetstumbledacrosstheporch，andLuskwasintheroom。“SoI’vegotyou!“hesaid。Hehadnoweapon，butmadeadiveunderthebedandcameupwithacarbine。Thetwomenlocked，wrenchingimpotently，andfelltogether。Thecarbine’sloudshotrangintheroom，butdidnoharm；andMcLeanlaysickandpantinguponLuskasBarkerrushedin。
“ThankGod!“saidhe，andflungLusk’spistoldown。Theman，derangedandencouragedbydrink，hadcomeacrossthedoctor，delayedhim，threatenedhimwithhispistol，andwhenhehadtornitaway，hadlefthimsuddenlyandvanished。ButBarkerhadfeared，andcomeafterhimhere。Heglancedatthewomanslumberingmotionlessbesidethetwomen。Thehusband’sbriefcouragehadgone，andhelaybeneathMcLean，whohimselfcouldnotrise。Barkerpulledthemapart。
“Lin，boy，you’renothurt？“heasked，affectionately，andliftedthecow-puncher。
McLeansatpassive，withdazedeyes，lettinghimselfbesupported。
“You’renothurt？“repeatedBarker。
“No，“answeredthecow-puncher，slowly。“Iguessnot。“Helookedabouttheroomandatthedoor。“Igotinterrupted，“hesaid。
“You’llbeallrightsoon，“saidBarker。
“Nobodycaresforme!“criedLusk，suddenly，andtooktoquerulousweeping。
“Getup，“orderedBarker，sternly。
“Don’taccuseme，Governor，“screamedLusk。“I’minnocent。“Andherose。
Barkerlookedatthewomanandthenatthehusband。“I’llnotsaytherewasmuchchanceforher，“hesaid。“Butanyshehadisgonethroughyou。
She’lldie。“
“Nobodycaresforme!“repeatedtheman。“Hehaslearnedmyboytoscornme。“Heranoutaimlessly，andawayintothenight，leavingpeaceintheroom。
“Staysitting，“saidBarkertoMcLean，andwenttoMrs。Lusk。
Butthecow-puncher，seeinghimbegintolifthertowardthebedwithouthelp，triedtorise。Hisstrengthwasnotsufficientlycomeback，andhesankashehadbeen。“IguessIdon’tamounttomuch，“saidhe。“IfeellikeIwasnothing。“
“Well，I’msomething，“saidBarker，comingbacktohisfriend，outofbreath。“AndIknowwhatsheweighs。“Hestaredadmiringlythroughhisspectaclesattheseatedman。
Thecow-puncher’seyesslowlytravelledoverhisbody，andthensoughtBarker’sface。“Doc，“saidhe，“ain’tIyoungtohavemynervequitmethisway？“
HisExcellencybrokeintohisbroadsmile。
“IknowI’veracketedsome，butain’titrutherearly？“pursuedMcLean，wistfully。
“Yousix-footinfant!“saidBarker。“Lookatyourhand。“
Linstaredatit——thefingersquiveringandbloody，andtheskingroovedrawbetweenthem。Thatwasthebuckleofherbelt，whichinthestrugglehadworkedroundandbeenheldbyhimunknowingly。Bothhiswristsandhisshirtwereribbedwiththepinkofhersashes。Helookedoveratthebedwherelaythewomanheavilybreathing。Itwasasomething，asound，notlikethebreathoflife；andBarkersawthecow-punchershudder。
“Sheisstrong，“hesaid。“Hersystemwillfighttotheend。Twohoursyet，maybe。Queerworld!“hemoralized。“Peoplehalfkillingthemselvestokeeponeinitwhowantedtogo——andonethatnobodywantedtostay!“
McLeandidnothear。Hewasmusing，hiseyesfixedabsentlyinfrontofhim。“Iwouldnotwant，“hesaid，withhesitatingutterance——“I’dnotwishforevenmyenemytohaveathinglikewhatI’vehadtodoto-night。“
Barkertouchedhimonthearm。“IftherehadbeenanothermanIcouldtrust——“
“Trust!“brokeinthecow-puncher。“Why，Doc，itisthebestturnyu’
everdoneme。IknowIamamannow——ifmynerveain’tgone。“
I’veknownyouwereamansinceIknewyou!“saidtheheartyGovernor。
Andhehelpedthestillunsteadysix-foottoachair。“Asforyournerve，I’llbringyousomewhiskeynow。Andafter“——heglancedatthebed——“andtomorrowyou’llgotryifMissJessaminewon’tputthenerve——“
“Yes，Doc，I’llgothere，Iknow。Butdon’tyu’——don’tlet’swhileshe’s——
I’mgoingtobegladaboutthis，Doc，afterawhile，but——“
Atthesightofanew-comerinthedoor，hestoppedinwhathissoulwasstammeringtosay。“Whatdoyouwant，Judge？“heinquired，coldly。
“Iunderstand，“beganSlaghammertoBarker——“Iaminformed——“
“Speakquieter，Judge，“saidthecow-puncher。
“Iunderstand，“repeatedSlaghammer，moreofficialthanever，“thattherewasacaseforthecoroner。“
“You’llbenotified，“putinMcLeanagain。“Meanwhileyou’lltalkquietinthisroom。“
Slaghammerturned，andsawthebreathingmassonthebed。
“Youarealittleearly，Judge，“saidBarker，“but——“
“Butyourtendollarsaresafe，“saidMcLean。
Thecoronershotoneofhisshrewdglancesatthecow-puncher，andsatdownwithanamiablecountenance。Hisfeewas，indeed，tendollars；andhewasdesirousofasecondterm。
“Undertheapprehensionthatithadalreadyoccurred——themisapprehension——Itookstepstoimpanelajury，“saidhe，addressingbothBarkerandMcLean。“Theyare——ah——waitingoutside。Responsiblemen，Governor，andhavesatbefore。Drybonehasfewresponsiblemento-night，butIprocuredtheseatalittlegamewheretheywere——ah——losing。Youmaygoback，gentlemen，“saidhe，goingtothedoor。“Iwillsummonyouinpropertime。“Helookedintheroomagain。“Isthehusbandnotintending——“
“That’senough，Judge，“saidMcLean。“There’stoomanyherewithoutaddinghim。“
“Judge，“spokeavoiceatthedoor，“ain’tshereadyyet？“
“Sheisstillpassingaway，“observedSlaghammer，piously。
“BecauseIwasthinking，“saidtheman——“Iwasjust——Yousee，usjuryisdryanddeadbroke。DoggonedestcardsI’veheldthisyear，and——Judge，wouldtherebeanythingoutofthewayinmetouchingmyfeeinadvance，ifit’sasurething？“
“Iseenone，myfriend，“saidSlaghammer，benevolently，“sinceitmustbe。“Heshookhisheadandnoddeditbyturns。Then，withfull-blownimportance，hesatagain，andwroteapaper，hiscoroner’scertificate。
Nextdoor，inAlbanyCounty，thesevouchersbroughttheirfacevalueoffivedollarstotheholder；butonDrybone’sneutralsoilthesaloonswouldalwayspayfourforthem，anditwasrarethatanyjury-mancouldwithstandthetemptationoffourimmediatedollars。Thisonegratefullyreceivedhispaper，and，cherishingitlikeabirdinthehand，hewithhiscolleaguesboreitwheretheymightwaitfordutyandslaketheirthirst。
InthesilentroomsatLinMcLean，hisbodycomingtolifemorereadilythanhisshakenspirit。Barker，seeingthatthecow-punchermeanttowatchuntiltheend，broughtthewhiskeytohim。Slaghammerdrewdocumentsfromhispockettofillthetime，butwassooninslumberoverthem。InallprecinctsofthequadrangleDrybonewaskeepingituplate。
Thefiddle，theoccasionalshouts，andthecrackofthebilliard-ballstravelledclearandfarthroughthevastdarknessoutside。Presentlystepsunsteadilydrewnear，androundthecornerofthedooravoice，plaintiveanddiffident，said，“Judge，ain’tshemostprettynearready？“
“Wakeup，Judge!“saidBarker。“Yourjuryhasgonedryagain。“
Themanappearedroundthedoor——ahandsome，dishevelledfellow——withhatinhand，balancinghimselfwithrespectfulanxiety。Thuswasasecondvouchermadeout，andthemessengerstrayedbackhappytohisfriends。
BarkerandMcLeansatwakeful，andSlaghammerfellatoncetonapping。
Fromtimetotimehewasrousedbynewmessengers，eacharrivingmoreunsteadythanthelast，untileveryjurymanhadgothisfeeandnomoremessengerscame。Thecoronersleptundisturbedinhischair。McLeanandBarkersat。Onthebedthemass，withitspinkribbons，breathedandbreathed，whilemothsflewroundthelamp，tappingandfallingwithlightsounds。Sodidtheheartofthedarknesswearitselfaway，andthroughthestone-coldairthedawnbegantofilterandexpand。
Barkerrose，bentoverthebed，andthenstood。Seeinghim，McLeanstoodalso。
“Judge，“saidBarker，quietly，“youmaycallthemnow。“Andwithcarefulstepsthejudgegothimselfoutoftheroomtosummonhisjury。
Forashortwhilethecow-puncherstoodlookingdownuponthewoman。Shelaylumpedinhergaudiness，theribbonsdarklystainedbythelaudanum；
butintothestolid，boldfeaturesdeathhadcalledupthefaint-coloredghostofyouth，andMcLeanrememberedallhisBearCreekdays。“Hindsightisaturrubleclearwayo’seein’things，“saidhe。“IthinkI’lltakeawalk。“
“Go，“saidBarker。“Thejuryonlyneedme，andI’lljoinyou。“
Butthejuryneedednowitness。Theirlongwaitingandtheadvancepayhadbeentoomuchfortheseresponsiblemen。Likebrotherstheyhadsharedeachothers’vouchersuntilresponsibilityhadmeltedfromtheirbrainsandthewhiskeywasfinished。Then，nolongerentertainedandgrowingwearyofDrybone，theyhadrememberednothingbuttheirdistantbeds。Eachhadmountedhispony，holdingtrustinglytothesaddle，andthus，unguided，theexperiencedponieshadtakenthemright。Acrossthewidesagebrushandupanddowntherivertheywerenowasleeporriding，dispersedirrevocably。Butthecoronerwashere。HedulyreceivedBarker’stestimony，broughthisverdictin，andsignedit，andevenwhilehewasissuingtohimselfhisownpropervoucherfortendollarscameChalkeyeandToothpickKidontheirponies，galloping，eagerintheirhopesandgoodwishesforMrs。Lusk。Liferanstronginthemboth。Thenighthadgonewellwiththem。Herewasthenewdaygoingtobefine。Itmustbewellwitheverybody。