“Suppose I refuse?” he queried, with a dark and terrible earnestness.
“Then I'll kill you in your tracks! You can't move a hand! Your word or death! Hurry, Longstreth! Be a man! For her sake! Quick! Another second now--I'll kill you!”
“All right, Buck Duane, I give my word,” he said, and deliberately walked to the chair and fell into it.
Longstreth looked strangely at the bloody blot on Duane's shoulder.
“There come the girls!” he suddenly exclaimed. “Can you help me drag Lawson inside? They mustn't see him.”
Duane was facing down the porch toward the court and corrals. Miss Longstreth and Ruth had come in sight, were swiftly approaching, evidently alarmed. The two men succeeded in drawing Lawson into the house before the girls saw him.
“Duane, you're not hard hit?” said Longstreth.
“I'm sorry. If only you could have told me sooner! Lawson, damn him! Always I've split over him!”
“Yes, and I came near driving you to kill me, too. Duane, you talked me out of it. For Ray's sake! She'll be in here in a minute. This'll be harder than facing a gun.”
“Hard now. But I hope it'll turn out all right.”
“Duane, will you do me a favor?” he asked, and he seemed shamefaced.
“Let Ray and Ruth think Lawson shot you. He's dead. It can't matter. Duane, the old side of my life is coming back. It's been coming. It'll be here just about when she enters this room. And, by God, I'd change places with Lawson if I could!”
“Glad you--said that, Longstreth,” replied Duane. “And sure--Lawson plugged me. It's our secret.”
Just then Ray and Ruth entered the room. Duane heard two low cries, so different in tone, and he saw two white faces. Ray came to his side, She lifted a shaking hand to point at the blood upon his breast. White and mute, she gazed from that to her father.
“Don't give way,” he replied, huskily. “Both you girls will need your nerve. Duane isn't badly hurt. But Floyd is--is dead. Listen. Let me tell it quick. There's been a fight. It--it was Lawson--it was Lawson's gun that shot Duane. Duane let me off. In fact, Ray, he saved me. I'm to divide my property--return so far as possible what I've stolen--leave Texas at once with Duane, under arrest. He says maybe he can get MacNelly, the ranger captain, to let me go. For your sake!”