olite manner, he felt the
deep rancor for whose existence he alone was responsible. So, trying to
hold his passions in check, he grinned at Dakota, significantly,
insinuatingly, unable finally to keep the bitter hatred and jealousy out
of his voice. For in the evilness of his mind he had drawn many imaginary
pictures of what had occurred between Dakota and Sheila immediately after
her rescue by the latter.

"I reckon," he said hoarsely, "that you take a heap of interest in
Sheila."

"That's part of your business, I suppose?" Dakota's voice was suddenly
hard.

Duncan had decided to steer carefully away from any trouble with Dakota;
he had even decided that as a measure for his own safety he must say
nothing which would be likely to arouse Dakota's anger, but the jealous
thoughts in his mind had finally gotten the better of prudence, and the
menace in Dakota's voice angered him.

"I reckon," he said with a sneer, "that I ain't as much interested in her
as you are."

He started back, his lips tightening over his teeth in a snarl of alarm
and fear, for Dakota had stepped down from the doorway and was at his
side, his eyes narrowed with cold wrath.

"Meaning what?" he demanded harshly, sharply, for he imagined that perhaps
Sheila had told of her marriage to him, and the thought that Duncan should
have been selected by her to share the secret maddened him.

"Meaning what, you damned coyote?" he insisted, stepping closer to
Duncan.

"Meaning that she ain't admiring you for nothing," flared Duncan
incautiously, his jealously overcoming his better judgment. "Meaning that
any woman which has been pulled out of a quicksand like you pulled her out
might be expected to favor you with----"

The sunlight flashed on Dakota's pistol as it leaped from his right hand
to his left and was bolstered with a jerk. And with the same motion his
clenched fist was jammed with savage force against Duncan's lips, cutting
short the slanderous words and sending him in a heap to the dust of the
corral yard.

With a cry of rage Duncan grasped for his pistol and drew it out, but the
hand holding it was stamped violently into the earth, the arm bent and
twisted until the fingers released the weapon. And then Dakota stood over
him, looking down at him with narrowed, chilling eyes, his face white and
hard, his anger gone as quickly as it had come. He said no word while
Duncan clambered awkwardly to his feet and mounted his horse.

[Illustrati