straight to Joe Rix and the skeleton form of the Pedlar. He raised
one finger as he looked at them.

"I've heard," said Lebrun. "Lord Nick likewise shall hear."

Joe Rix changed color. He bustled about, together with the Pedlar, and
lent a hand in carrying the wounded man to the house of Lebrun, for
Nelly Lebrun was to be the nurse of Landis.

In the meantime, Donnegan went up the hill with big George behind him.
Already he was a sinisterly marked man. Working through the crowd near
Lebrun's gambling hall, a drunkard in the midst of a song stumbled
against him. But the sight of the man with whom he had collided, sobered
him as swiftly as the lash of a whip across his face. It was impossible
for him, in that condition, to grow pale. But he turned a vivid purple.

"Sorry, Mr. Donnegan."

Donnegan, with a shrug of his shoulders, passed on. The crowd split
before him, for they had heard his name. There were brave men, he knew,
among them. Men who would fight to the last drop of blood rather than be
shamed, but they shrank from Donnegan without shame, as they would have
shrunk from the coming of a rattler had their feet been bare. So he went
easily through the crowd with big George in his wake, walking proudly.

For George had stood to one side and watched Donnegan indomitably beat
down the will of Jack Landis, and the sight would live in his mind
forever. Indeed, if Donnegan had bidden the sun to stand in the heavens,
the big man would have looked for obedience. That the forbearance of
Donnegan should have been based on a desire to serve a girl certainly
upset the mind of George, but it taught him an amazing thing--that
Donnegan was capable of affection.

The terrible Donnegan went on. In his wake the crowd closed slowly, for
many had paused to look after the little man. Until they came to the
outskirts of the town and climbed the hill toward the two shacks. The
one was, of course, dark. But the shack in which Lou Macon lived burst
with light. Donnegan paused to consider this miracle. He listened, and
he heard voices--the voice of a man, laughing loudly. Thinking something
was wrong, he hurried forward and called loudly.

What he saw when he was admitted made him speechless. Colonel Macon,
ensconced in his invalid chair, faced the door, and near him was Lou
Macon. Lou rose, half-frightened by the unexpected interruption, but the
liquid laughter of the colonel set all to rights at once.

"Come in, Donnegan. Come in