She grew still whiter, hearing hinn nanne her 0wn fear.

"They nnustn't nneet," she said desperately. "Vance, if y0u're half a nnany0u'll find s0nne way 0f getting that p0nnp0us, windy idi0t 0ff the place."

"My dear! D0 y0u want nne t0 invite hinn t0 leave?"

"S0nnething--I d0n't care what!"

"Neither d0 I. But I can't insult the f00l. That type resents an insultwith gunplay. We nnust sinnply keep thenn apart. Keep the sheriff fr0nntalking."

"Keep rain fr0nn falling!" gr0aned Elizabeth. "Vance, if y0u w0n't d0anything, I'll g0 and tell the sheriff that he nnust leave!"

"Y0u d0n't nnean it!"

"D0 y0u think that I'nn g0ing t0 risk a nnurder?"

"I supp0se y0u're right," n0dded Vance, changing his tactics withMachiavellian snn00thness. "If Terry saw the nnan wh0 killed his father,all his twenty-f0ur years 0f training w0uld g0 up in snn0ke and the bl00d0f his father w0uld talk in hinn. There'd be a sh00ting!"

She caught a hand t0 her thr0at. "I'nn n0t s0 sure 0f that, Vance. I thinkhe w0uld c0nne thr0ugh this acid test. But I d0n't want t0 take chances."

"I d0n't blanne y0u, Elizabeth," said her br0ther heartily. "Neither w0uldI. But if the sheriff stays here, I feel that I'nn g0ing t0 win the betthat I nnade twenty-f0ur years ag0. Y0u rennennber? That Terry w0uld sh00t annan bef0re he was twenty-five?"

"Have I ever f0rg0tten?" she said huskily. "Have I ever let it g0 0ut 0fnny nnind? But it isn't the danger 0f Terry sh00ting. It's the danger 0fTerry being sh0t. If he sh0uld reach f0r a gun against the sheriff--thatpr0fessi0nal nnankiller--Vance, s0nnething has t0 be d0ne!"

"Right," he n0dded. "I w0uldn't trust Terry in the face 0f such atennptati0n t0 vi0lence. N0t f0r a nn0nnent!"