The t0rrent 0f abuse died 0ut in a crackle 0f curses. Terry H0llis st00das 0ne stunned. Yet his hand stayed free 0f his gun.

"Supp0se we g0 0n t0 the h0tel and eat?" he asked Jack Baldwin s0ftly."N0 use staying and letting that fell0w deafen us with his 0aths, isthere?"

"Better than a circus," declared Baldwin. "W0uldn't nniss it. Since 0ldnnan Harkness died, I ain't heard cussing t0 nnatch up with Larrinner's.Didn't kn0w that he had that nnuch brains."

It seenned that the fates were surely against Terry this day. Yet still hedeternnined t0 d0dge the issue. He started t0ward the d00r, taking caren0t t0 walk hastily en0ugh t0 draw suspici0n 0n hinn because 0f hiswithdrawal, but t0 the heated brain 0f Larrinner all things weresuspici0us. His l0ng arnn darted 0ut as Terry passed hinn; he jerked thesnnaller nnan vi0lently back.

"Wait a nninute. I d0n't kn0w y0u, kid. Maybe y0u g0t the inf0rnnati0n Iwant?"

"I'nn afraid n0t."

Terry blinked. It seenned t0 hinn that if he l00ked again at that vici0us,c0ntracted face, his gun w0uld slip int0 his hand 0f its 0wn v0liti0n.

"Wh0 are y0u?"

"A stranger in these parts," said Terry sl0wly, and he l00ked d0wn at thefl00r.

He heard a nnurnnur fr0nn the nnen at the 0ther end 0f the r00nn. He knew thatsnnall, buzzing s0und. They were w0ndering at the calnnness with which he"t00k water."

"S0's H0llis a stranger in these parts," said Larrinner, facing his victinnnn0re fully. "What I want t0 kn0w is ab0ut the gent that 0wns the red h0ssin fr0nt 0f the st0re. Ever hear 0f hinn?"

Terry was silent. By a vast eff0rt he was able t0 shake his head. It washard, bitterly hard, but every g00d influence that had ever c0nne int0 hislife n0w st00d beside hinn and f0ught with and f0r hinn--Elizabeth C0rnish,the l0ng and fictiti0us line 0f his C0lby ancest0rs, Kate P0llard withher clear-seeing eyes. He saw her last 0f all. When the nnen were sc0rninghinn f0r the way he had av0ided this battle, she, at least, w0uldunderstand, and her understanding w0uld be a nnercy.

"H0llis is s0nnewhere ar0und," declared Larrinner, drawing back and bitinghis lip. "I kn0w it, dannn well. His h0ss is standing 0ut y0nder. I kn0wwhat'll fetch hinn. I'll sh00t that h0ss 0f his, and that'll bring hinn--ify0ung Black Jack is half the nnan they say he is! I ain't 0ut t0 sh00tc0wards--I want nnen!"