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open door； where the old fiddle tune was coming in from the dark。 But
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presently she noticed that she was being led； and her face turned sullen。
〃Walk；〃 said McLean。
〃Do you think so？〃 said she； laughing。 But she found that she must go
with him。 Thus they took a few more turns。
〃You're hurting me；〃 she said next。 Then a look of drowsy cunning
filled her eyes； and she fixed them upon McLean's dogged face。 〃He's
gone； Lin；〃 she murmured； raising her hand where Barker had
disappeared。
She knew McLean had heard her； and she held back on the quickened
pace that he had set。
〃Leave me down。 You hurt；〃 she pleaded； hanging on him。
The cow…puncher put forth more strength。
〃Just the floor；〃 she pleaded again。 〃Just one minute on the floor。 He'll
think you could not keep me lifted。〃
Still McLean made no answer； but steadily led her round and round； as
he had undertaken。
〃He's playing out！〃 she exclaimed。 〃You'll be played out soon。〃 She
laughed herself half…awake。 The man drew a breath； and she laughed more
to feel his hand and arm strain to surmount her increasing resistance。
〃Jessamine！〃 she whispered to him。 〃Jessamine！ Doc'll never suspicion
you； Lin。〃
〃Talk sense；〃 said he。
〃It's sense I'm talking。 Leave me go to sleep。 Ah； ah； I'm going！ I'll go；
you can't〃
〃Walk； walk！〃 he repeated。 He looked at the door。 An ache was
numbing his arms。
〃Oh yes； walk！ What can you and all your muscleAh； walk me to
glory； then； craziness！ I'm going； I'll go。 I'm quitting this outfit for keeps。
Lin； you're awful handsome to…night！ I'll betI'll bet she has never seen
you look so。 Let melet me watch yus。 Anyway； she knows I came first！〃
He grasped her savagely。 〃First！ You and twenty of yu' don'tGod！！
what do I talk to her for？〃
〃BecausebecauseI'm going； I'll go。 He slung me offbut he had to
slingyou can't stop
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Her head was rolling； while the lips smiled。 Her words came through
deeper and deeper veils； fearless； defiant； a challenge inarticulate； a
continuous mutter。 Again he looked at the door as he struggled to move
with her dragging weight。 The drops rolled on his forehead and neck； his
shirt was wet； his hands slipped upon her ribbons。 Suddenly the drugged
body folded and sank with him； pulling him to his knees。 While he took
breath so； the mutter went on； and through the door came the jigging
fiddle。 A fire of desperation lighted in his eyes。 〃Buffalo Girls！〃 he
shouted； hoarsely； in her ear； and got once more on his feet with her as
though they were two partners in a quadrille。 Still shouting her to wake； he
struck a tottering sort of step； and so； with the bending load in his grip；
strove feebly to dance the laudanum away。
Feet stumbled across the porch； and Lusk was in the room。 〃So I've got
you！〃 he said。 He had no weapon； but made a dive under the bed and came
up with a carbine。 The two men locked； wrenching impotently； and fell
together。 The carbine's loud shot rang in the room； but did no harm； and
McLean lay sick and panting upon Lusk as Barker rushed in。
〃Thank God！〃 said he； and flung Lusk's pistol down。 The man；
deranged and encouraged by drink； had come across the doctor； delayed
him； threatened him with his pistol； and when he had torn it away； had left
him suddenly and vanished。 But Barker had feared； and come after him
here。 He glanced at the woman slumbering motionless beside the two men。
The husband's brief courage had gone； and he lay beneath McLean； who
himself could not rise。 Barker pulled them apart。
〃Lin； boy； you're not hurt？〃 he asked； affectionately； and lifted the
cow…puncher。
McLean sat passive； with dazed eyes； letting himself be supported。
〃You're not hurt？〃 repeated Barker。
〃No；〃 answered the cow…puncher； slowly。 〃I guess not。〃 He looked
about the room and at the door。 〃I got interrupted；〃 he said。
〃You'll be all right soon；〃 said Barker。
〃Nobody cares for me！〃 cried Lusk； suddenly； and took to querulous
weeping。
〃Get up；〃 ordered Barker； sternly。
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〃Don't accuse me； Governor；〃 screamed Lusk。 〃I'm innocent。〃 And he
rose。
Barker looked at the woman and then at the husband。 〃I'll not say there
was much chance for her；〃 he said。 〃But any she had is gone through you。
She'll die。〃
〃Nobody cares for me！〃 repeated the man。 〃He has learned my boy to
scorn me。〃 He ran out aimlessly； and away into the night； leaving peace in
the room。
〃Stay sitting；〃 said Barker to McLean； and went to Mrs。 Lusk。
But the cow…puncher； seeing him begin to lift her toward the bed
without help； tried to rise。 His strength was not sufficiently come back；
and he sank as he had been。 〃I guess I don't amount to much；〃 said he。 〃I
feel like I was nothing。〃
〃Well； I'm something；〃 said Barker； coming back to his friend； out of
breath。 〃And I know what she weighs。〃 He stared admiringly through his
spectacles at the seated man。
The cow…puncher's eyes slowly travelled over his body； and then
sought Barker's face。 〃Doc；〃 said he； 〃ain't I young to have my nerve quit
me this way？〃
His Excellency broke into his broad smile。
〃I know I've racketed some； but ain't it ruther early？〃 pursued McLean；
wistfully。
〃You six…foot infant！〃 said Barker。 〃Look at your hand。〃
Lin stared at itthe fingers quivering and bloody； and the skin grooved
raw between them。 That was the buckle of her belt； which in the struggle
had worked round and been held by him unknowingly。 Both his wrists and
his shirt were ribbed with the pink of her sashes。 He looked over at the bed
where lay the woman heavily breathing。 It was a something； a sound； not
like the breath of life； and Barker saw the cow…puncher shudder。
〃She is strong；〃 he said。 〃Her system will fight to the end。 Two hours
yet； maybe。 Queer world！〃 he moralized。 〃People half killing themselves
to keep one in it who wanted to goand one that nobody wanted to stay！〃
McLean did not hear。 He was musing； his eyes fixed absently in front
of him。 〃I would not want；〃 he said； with hesitating utterance〃I'd not
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wish for even my enemy to have a thing like what I've had to do to…night。〃
Barker touched him on the arm。 〃If there had been another man I could
trust〃
〃Trust！〃 broke in the cow…puncher。 〃Why； Doc； it is the best turn yu'
ever done me。 I know I am a man nowif my nerve ain't gone。〃
I've known you were a man since I knew you！〃 said the hearty
Governor。 And he helped the still unsteady six…foot to a chair。 〃As for your
nerve； I'll bring you some whiskey now。 And after〃he glanced at the bed…
…〃 and tomorrow you'll go try if Miss Jessamine won't put the nerve〃
〃Yes； Doc； I'll go there； I know。 But don't yu'don't let's while she's
I'm going