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 He opened to her, to see her eyes big with fear, her cheeks pale.

"Malcolm Duncan and them men—they want you, Texas!" she whispered.

"All right, Mrs. Noggle. Please say to them I'll be right straight down."

"Oh, my God! They'll kill you, Texas," she moaned. "They've been talkin' about it—it's no secret in town—they'll kill you, I know they will!"

Texas was buckling on his gun. Her message had stirred a new desire in him, a fierce and savage desire to swim back to the shore of peace and safety through a wild turmoil of strife. If they wanted a fight they could have it, and a fight that some of them would remember above all the combats of their lives. Right here and now accounts between him and the drovers of the Arkansas Valley range would be adjusted for good and all.

"Maybe they will kill me," he said, calmly, reaching for his long black coat which he had flung down on the bed.

"Go down the back stairs," she whispered, leaning into the room, "walk easy—I'll make a noise when I go down!"

Texas turned to her with a smile, offering her his hand.

"Thank you, ma'am, for your good intention, but