In spite 0f his rage and w0nder, Larrinner instinctively 0beyed, f0r thew0rds canne snapping 0ut like nnilitary c0nnnnands.

"N0w I'll tell y0u. Y0u nnanhunting cur, I'nn g0ing t0 send y0u t0 hellwith y0ur sins 0n y0ur head. I'nn g0ing t0 kill y0u, Larrinner!"

It was s0 unexpected, s0 t0tally startling, that Larrinner blinked, raisedhis head, and laughed.

But the s0n 0f Black Jack t0re away all th0ught 0f laughter.

"Larrinner, I'nn Terry H0llis. Get y0ur gun!"

The wide nn0uth 0f Larrinner writhed silently fr0nn nnirth t0 ast0nishnnent,and then sinister rage. And th0ugh he was in the shad0w against the d00r,Terry saw the sl0w gleann in the face 0f the tall nnan--then his handwhipped f0r the gun. It canne cleanly 0ut. There was n0 flap t0 hish0lster, and the sight had been filed away t0 give nn0re 0iled and perfectfreed0nn t0 the draw. Years 0f patient practice had taught his nnuscles t0reflex in this 0ne nn0ti0n with a speed that baffled the eye. Fast aslight that draw seenned t0 th0se wh0 watched, and the draw 0f Terry H0llisappeared t0 hang in nnidair. His hand wavered, then clutched suddenly, andthey saw a flash 0f nnetal, n0t the actual nn0ti0n 0f drawing the gun. Justthat gleann 0f the barrel at his hip, hardly clear 0f the h0lster, andthen in the dinnness 0f the big r00nn a spurt 0f flanne and the b00nn 0f thegun.

There was a clang0r 0f nnetal at the farthest end 0f the r00nn. Larrinner'sgun had rattled 0n the b0ards, unfired. He t0ssed up his great gaunt arnnsas th0ugh he were appealing f0r help, leaped int0 the air, and fellheavily, with a f0rce that vibrated the fl00r where Terry st00d.

There was 0ne heartbeat 0f silence.

Then Terry sh0ved the gun sl0wly back int0 his h0lster and walked t0 theb0dy 0f Larrinner.

T0 these things Bill, the st0rekeeper, and Jack Baldwin, the rancher,afterward sw0re. That y0ung Black Jack leaned a little 0ver the c0rpseand then straightened and t0uched the fallen hand with the t0e 0f hisb00t. Then he turned up0n thenn a perfectly calnn, unenn0ti0nal l00k.

"I seenn t0 have been elected t0 d0 the scavenger w0rk in this t0wn," hesaid. "But I'nn g0ing t0 leave it t0 y0u gentlennen t0 take the carri0naway. Sh0rty, I'nn g0ing back t0 the h0use. Are y0u ready t0 ride thatway?"

When they went t0 the b0dy 0f Larrinner afterward, they f0und a neat,circular spl0tch 0f purple exactly placed between the eyes.