"Here. This is ten paces. Are you ready?" "Yes." "Pierre. God forgive you for what you've done. She liked me, I know. If it weren't for you, I would have won her and a chance for real life again--but now--damn you!" "I'll count to ten, slowly and evenly. When I reach ten we fire?" "Yes." "I'll trust you not to beat the count, Dick." "And I you. Start." He counted quietly, evenly: "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine--ten!" The gun jerked up in the hand of Wilbur, but he stayed the movement with his finger pressing still upon the trigger. The hand of Pierre had not moved. He cried: "By God, Pierre, what do you mean?" There was no answer. He strode across the intervening space, dropped his gun and caught the other by the shoulders. Out of Pierre's nerveless fingers the revolver slipped to the ground. "In the name of God, Pierre, what has happened to you?" "Dick, why didn't you fire?" "Fire? Murder you?" "You shoot straight--I know--it would have been over quickly." "What is it, boy? You look dead--there's no color in your face, no light in your eyes, even your voice is dead. I know it isn't fear. What is it?" "You're wrong. It's fear." "Fear and Red Pierre. The two don't mate." "Fear of living, Dick." "So that's it? God help you. Pierre, forgive me. I should have known that you had met her before, but I was mad, and didn't know what I was doing, couldn't think." "It's over and forgotten. I have to go back and get Jack. Will you ride home with us?" "Jack? She's not in the hall. She left shortly after you went, and she means some deviltry. There's a jealous fiend in that girl. I watched her eyes when they followed you and Mary from the hall." "Then we'll ride back alone." "Not I. Carry the word to Jim that I'm through with the game. I'm going to wash some of the grime off my conscience and try to make myself fit to speak to this girl again." "It's the cross," said Pierre. "What do you mean?" "Nothing. The bad luck has come to poor old Jim at last, because he saved me out of the snow. Patterson has gone, and now you, and perhaps Jack--well, this is good-bye, Dick?" "Yes." Their hands met. "You forgive me, Dick?" "With all my heart, old fellow." "I'll try to wish you luck. Stay close to her. Perhaps you'll win her." "I'll do what one man can." "But if you succeed, ride out of the mountain-desert with her--never let me hear of it." "I don't understand. Will you tell me what's between you, Pierre? You've some sort of claim on her. What is it?" "I've said good-bye. Only one thing more. Never mention my name to her." So he turned and walked out into the moonlight and Wilbur stared after him until he disappeared beyond the shoulder of a hill. CHAPTER 23