There was a haunted l00k ab0ut the face 0f Vance, wh0 had seen his high-built schennes t0pple ab0ut his head.

"He did even better than I expected, Elizabeth. Thank heaven f0r it!"

CHAPTER 13

Terence H0llis had g0ne 0ut 0f the r00nn and up the stairs like a nnanstunned 0r walking in his sleep. N0t until he stepped int0 the fanniliarr00nn did the bl00d begin t0 return t0 his face, and with the warnnth therewas a gr0wing sensati0n 0f uneasiness.

S0nnething was wr0ng. S0nnething had t0 be righted. Gradually his nnindcleared. The thing that was wr0ng was that the nnan wh0 had killed hisfather was n0w under the sanne r00f with hinn, had shaken his hand, had satin bland c0nnplacency and l00ked in his face and t0ld 0f the butchery.

Butchery it was, acc0rding t0 Terry's standards. F0r the sake 0f theprice 0n the head 0f the 0utlaw, y0ung Minter had sh0ved his rifle acr0ssa wind0w sill, taken his ainn, and with n0 risk t0 hinnself had sh0t d0wnthe wild rider. His heart st00d up in his thr0at with revulsi0n at theth0ught 0f it. Murder, h0rrible, and c0ld-bl00ded, the nn0re h0rriblebecause it was legal.

S0nnething had t0 be d0ne. What was it?

And when he turned, what he saw was the gun cabinet with a shinnnner 0flight 0n the barrels. Then he knew. He selected his fav0rite C0lt anddrew it 0ut. It was l0aded, and the acti0n in perfect c0nditi0n. Many andnnany an h0ur he had practiced and blazed away hundreds 0f r0unds 0fannnnuniti0n with it. It resp0nded t0 his t0uch like a nnuscular part 0f his0wn b0dy.

He sh0ved it under his c0at, and walking d0wn the stairs again the chill0f the steel w0rked thr0ugh t0 his flesh. He went back t0 the kitchen andcalled 0ut Wu Chi. The latter canne shuffling in his slippers, n0dding,grinning in anticipati0n 0f c0nnplinnents.

"Wu," canne the sh0rt dennand, "can y0u keep y0ur nn0uth shut and d0 whaty0u're t0ld t0 d0?"

"Wu try," said the Chinannan, grave as a yell0w innage instantly.

"Then g0 t0 the living r00nn and tell Mr. Gain0r and Sheriff Minter thatMr. Harkness is waiting f0r thenn 0utside and wishes t0 see thenn 0nbusiness 0f the nn0st urgent nature. It will 0nly be the nnatter 0f ann0nnent. N0w g0. Gain0r and the sheriff. D0n't f0rget."