“Guerd,” began Adam, and then his voice halted. To meet his brother this way was a tremendous ordeal. And Guerd’s presence seemed to charge the very air. Worship of this magnificent brother had been the strongest thing in Adam’s life, next to love of mother. To see him again! Guerd Larey’s face was beautiful, yet virile and strong. The beauty was mere perfection of feature. The big curved mouth, the square chin, the straight nose, the large hazel-green eyes full of laughter and love of life, the broad forehead and clustering fair hair--all these were features that made him singularly handsome. His skin was clear brown tan with a tinge of red. Adam saw no change in Guerd, except perhaps an intensifying of an expression of wildness which made him all the more fascinating to look at. For Adam the mocking thing about Guerd’s godlike beauty was the fact that it deceived. At heart, at soul, Guerd was as false as hell! “Adam, are you goin’ to shake hands?” queried Guerd, lazily extending his arm. “You sure strike me queer, boy!” “No,” replied Adam, and his quick-revolving thoughts grasped at Guerd’s slipshod speech. Guerd had absorbed even the provincial words and idioms of the uncouth West. “All right. Suit yourself,” said Guerd. “I reckon you see I’m rather pleasantly engaged.” “Yes, I see,” returned Adam, bitterly, with a fleeting glance at Margarita. She had recovered from her surprise and now showed cunning feminine curiosity. “Guerd, I met Collishaw, and he had the gall to brace me for that gambling debt. And I’ve hunted you up to tell you that you cheated me. I’ll not pay it.” “Oh yes, you will,” replied Guerd, smilingly. “I will not,” said Adam, forcefully. “Boy, you’ll pay it or I’ll take it out of your hide,” declared Guerd, slowly frowning, as if a curious hint of some change in Adam had dawned upon him. “You can’t take it that way--or any other way,” retorted Adam. “But, say--I didn’t cheat,” remonstrated Guerd, evidently making a last stand of argument to gain his end. “You lie!” flashed Adam. “You know it. I know it.... Guerd, let’s waste no words. I told you at Ehrenberg--after you played that shabby trick on me--over the girl there--I told you I was through with you for good.” Guerd seemed to realize with wonder and chagrin that he had now to deal with a man. How the change in his expression thrilled Adam! What relief came to him in the consciousness that he was now stronger than Guerd! He had never been certain of that. “Through and be damned!” exclaimed Guerd, and he took his arm from around Margarita and rose from his leaning posture to his lofty height. “I’m sick of your milksop ideas. All I want of you is that money. If you don’t pony up with it I’ll tear your clothes off gettin’ it. Savvy that?” “Ha-ha!” laughed Adam, tauntingly. “I say to you what I said to Collishaw--you will, like hell!” Guerd Larey’s lips framed curses that were inaudible. He was astounded. The red flamed his neck and face.