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288 laughed; others came out, Flash Truitt with them. And they saw Bill Steele fling a burning lantern across the street, yank the other down and lay his hands on the sign.

"Hey there!" shouted Truitt angrily. "Leave that sign alone." Steele made no answer, but jerked the thing loose, ripping a plank away with it, and lifting it high over his head brought it smashing down on the ridge of the house so that it cracked and split from end to end. The halves he split again, making kindling wood of them while Truitt cursed and threatened from below. Then he came down.

"Have you anything to say?" he demanded hotly, standing close to the gambler, his eyes flashing, his voice vibrant. "You damned contemptible cur, have you anything to say?"

And Flash Truitt, seeing the look in the eyes glaring into his own, sensing the wrath in Steele's soul, turned quickly and went back into his saloon.

The next morning early, to be before any chance rumours of what had befallen in Boom Town, Joe Embry appeared at Beatrice's home. Cool, self-sufficient, well groomed, still there was a light in his eyes almost as of an inner fever. Told that Beatrice was not up yet, he asked that his name be carried to her and that she see him as soon as possible.

Beatrice, coming into the drawing room, found him pacing back and forth; as he turned sharply she saw the tense look in the man's face.