But Kate ran to her father. "Dad," she cried, "you got to stop him!" He looked into her drawn face in astonishment. "Look here, honey," he advised rather sternly. "Man-talk is man-talk, and man-ways are man-ways, and a girl like you can't understand. You keep out of this mess. It's bad enough without having your hand added." She saw there was nothing to be gained in this direction. She turned to the rest of the men; they watched her with blank faces. Not a man there but would have done much for the sake of a single smile. But how could they help? Desperately she ran to the door, jerked it open, and followed Terry to the stable. He had swung the saddle from its peg and slipped it over the back of El Sangre, and the great stallion turned to watch this perennially interesting operation. "Terry," she said, "I want ten words with you." "I know what you want to say," he answered gently. "You want to make me stay away from town today. To tell you the truth, Kate, I hate to go in. I hate it like the devil. But what can I do? I have no grudge against Larrimer. But if he wants to talk about his brother's death, why--good Lord, Kate, I have to go in and listen, don't I? I can't dodge that responsibility!" "It's a trick, Terry. I swear it's a trick. I can feel it!" She dropped her hand nervously on the heavy revolver which she wore strapped at her hip, and fingered the gold chasing. Without her gun, ever since early girlhood, she had felt that her toilet was not complete. "It may be," he nodded thoughtfully. "And I appreciate the advice, Kate-- but what would you have me do?" "Terry," she said eagerly, "you know what this means. You've killed once. If you go into town today, it means either that you kill or get killed. And one thing is about as bad as the other." Again he nodded. She was surprised that he would admit so much, but there were parts of his nature which, plainly, she had not yet reached to. "What difference does it make, Kate?" His voice fell into a profound gloom. "What difference? I can't change myself. I'm what I am. It's in the blood. I was born to this. I can't help it. I know that I'll lose in the end. But while I live I'll be happy. A little while!" She choked. But the sight of his drawing the cinches, the imminence of his departure, cleared her mind again. "Give me two minutes," she begged. "Not one," he answered. "Kate, you only make us both unhappy. Do you suppose I wouldn't change if I could?" He came to her and took her hands. "Honey, there are a thousand things I'd like to say to you, but being what I am, I have no right to say them to you--never, or to any other woman! I'm born to be what I am. I tell you, Kate, the woman who raised me, who was a mother to me, saw what I was going to be--and turned me out like a dog! And I don't blame her. She was right!" She grasped at the straw of hope.