Page:Morley roberts--Painted Rock.djvu/152

 "Ben will cow down," he said. "I can see it."

"This is a quiet town," said Sage presently.

"I reckon to keep it quiet," said Ben Williams. His eyes were burning: Sage's narrowed to slits.

"I do the same for Red River," he said.

Up to now, though they had looked at each other, they had not met for more than a mere glance with their eyes. But at this moment old Webb nipped me so hard that I restrained an exclamation with difficulty. The men were staring at each other steadily. I glanced into the back room and saw Pillsbury close up his faro lay-out. By this time his room should have been full. The street was full instead. But Sage and Ben were visible to the gathered crowd, and everyone outside was silent. They knew, for all the quiet, that a duel was going on inside, and a duel more deadly and horrible than any shooting. These two silent devils were putting their minds, their reputations, their courage, into the cock-pit against each other.

"Good God!" said the Colonel. He