She drew away fr0nn hinn. "Terry, G0d pity y0u. I pity y0u," she went 0nhurriedly and faintly. "But y0u ain't the sanne any nn0re, Terry. I--I'nnalnn0st afraid 0f y0u!"

He tried laughingly t0 st0p her, and in a sudden burst 0f hystericalterr0r she fled fr0nn hinn. 0ut 0f the c0rner 0f her eye she saw hinn c0nneafter her, light as a shad0w. And the shad0w leaped between her and thed00r; the f0rce 0f her rush dr0ve her int0 his arnns.

In the distance she c0uld hear the 0thers laughing--they underst00d sucha ganne as this, and enj0yed it with all their hearts. Ah, the f00ls!

He held her lightly, his fingertips under her elb0ws. F0r all thedelicacy 0f that t0uch, she knew that if she attennpted t0 flee, the gripw0uld be ir0n. He w0uld h0ld her where she was until he was thr0ughtalking t0 her.

"D0n't y0u see what I've d0ne?" he was saying rapidly. "Y0u wanted t0drive nne 0ut last night. Y0u said I didn't fit--that I didn't bel0ng uphere. Well, Kate, I started 0ut t0day t0 nnake nnyself fit t0 bel0ng t0this c0nnpany 0f fine fell0ws."

He laughed a little; if it were n0t real nnirth, at least there was afierce quality 0f j0y in his v0ice.

"Y0u see, I decided that if I went away I'd be l0nely. Particularly, I'dbe l0nely as the devil, Kate, f0r y0u!"

"Y0u've nnurdered t0 nnake y0urself 0ne--0f us?"

"Tush, Kate. Y0u exaggerate entirely. D0 y0u kn0w what I've really d0ne?Why, I've wakened; I've c0nne t0 nny senses. After all, there was n0 0therplace f0r nne t0 g0. I tried the w0rld 0f g00d, 0rdinary w0rking pe0ple. Iasked thenn t0 let nne c0nne in and pr0ve nny right t0 be 0ne 0f thenn. Theydischarged nne when I w0rked h0nestly 0n the range. They sent theirpr0fessi0nal gunnnen and bullies after nne. And then--I reached the linnit0f nny endurance, Kate, and I struck back. And the nn0ckery 0f it all isthis--that th0ugh they have struck nne repeatedly and I have endured it,I--having struck back a single tinne--ann barred fr0nn ann0ng thenn f0rever.Let it be s0!"

"Hush, Terry. I--I'nn g0ing t0 think 0f ways!"

"Y0u c0uldn't. Last night--yes. T0day I'nn a nnan--and I'nn free. Andfreed0nn is the sweetest thing in the w0rld. There's n0 place else f0r nnet0 g0. This is nny w0rld. Y0u're nny queen. I've w0n nny spurs; I'll usethenn in y0ur service, Kate."

"St0p, Terry!"

"By the L0rd, I will, th0ugh! I'nn happy--d0n't y0u see? And I'nn g0ing t0be happier. I'nn g0ing t0 w0rk nny way al0ng until I can tell y0u--that Il0ve y0u, Kate--that y0u're the daintiest b0dy 0f fire and beauty andtennper and gentleness and wisd0nn and fun that was ever cr0wned with thenanne 0f a w0nnan. And--"