Page:Frederick Faust--Free Range Lanning.djvu/234

230 and for the first time she grew aware of the fact that he was dripping on her carpet and that his clothes were tattered—remarkably ragged, in fact—and that he was by no means clean.

"I've ridden Gray Peter myself," went on Andrew. "And I would rather have killed a man than have seen Gray Peter die. Hal had Peter's head in his arms," he added softly. "And he'll never give up the trail until he's had it out with me. He wouldn't be half a man if he let things drop now."

And she forgot the dripping, the ragged clothes, the dirt. In some manner she saw the whole picture of the death of Gray Peter in the saddened face of Andrew. If she had felt above him the moment before she now felt infinitely beneath him.

"So you have to fight Hal Dozier?"

"Yes."

"But when that's done"

"When that's done one of us will be dead. If it's me, of course, there's no use worryin'; if it's Hal, of course, I'm done in the eyes of the law. Two—murders!"

His eyes glinted and his fingers quivered. It sent a cold thrill through the girl.

"But they say he's a terrible man, Andrew. You wouldn't let him catch you?"

"I won't stand and wait for him," said Andrew gravely. "But if we fight I think I'll kill him."

It was said with perfect lack of braggadocio.

"What makes you think that?" She was more curious than shocked.

"It's just a sort of feeling that you get when you look at a man; either you're his master or you aren't. You see it in a flash."