ses don't leave them very
white and smooth."

"Let me go! Let me go!"

He took a step away from the door. His whole manner changed.

"See here, my girl. You was educated like a lady and spent your life
doin' nothing. Oh, I forgot: you was a lady's companion, wasn't you? And
you look on yourself as a darned sight better than me. I never had no
schooling. It's a hell of a job for me to write a letter. But since I
was so high"--his hand measured a distance of about three feet from the
floor--"I've earned my living. I guess I've been all over this country.
I've been a trapper, I've worked on the railroad and for two years I've
been a freighter. I guess I've done pretty nearly everything but clerk
in a store. Now you just get busy and forget all the nonsense you've got
in your head. You're nothing but an ignorant woman and I'm your master.
I'm goin' to do what I like with you. And if you don't submit willingly,
by God I'll take you as the trappers, in the old days, used to take the
squaws."

For the last moment Nora could hardly have been said to have listened.
In a delirium of terror her eyes swept the little cabin, searching
desperately for some means of escape. As he made a step toward her, her
roving eye suddenly fell on her husband's gun, standing where Sharp had
left it when he brought it in. With a bound, she was across the room,
the gun at her shoulder. With an oath, Frank started forward.

"If you move, I'll kill you!"

"You daren't!"

"Unless you open that door and let me go, I'll shoot you--I'll shoot
you!"

"Shoot, then!" He held his arms wide, exposing his broad chest.

With a sobbing cry, she pulled the trigger. The click of the falling
hammer was heard, nothing more.

"Gee whiz!" shouted Taylor in admiration. "Why, you meant it!"

The gun fell clattering to the floor.

"It wasn't loaded?"

"Of course it wasn't loaded. D'you think I'd have stood there and told
you to shoot if it had been? I guess I ain't thinking of committin'
suicide."

"And I almost admired you!"

"You hadn't got no reason to. There's nothing to admire about a man who
stands five feet off a loaded gun that's being aimed at him. He'd be a
darned fool, that's all."

"You were laughing at me all the time."

"You'd have had me dead as mutton if that gun 'ud been loaded. You're a
sport, all right, all right. I never thought you had it in you. You're
the girl for me, I guess!"

As she stood there, dazed, perfectly unprepare