th the violence of his struggle.

But he murmured at length, as one in wonder:

"How you are rooted in me, Ruth! How you are wound into my life, so that
it is like tearing out my heart to part from you. But the God of the
Garden and John and Matthew has given me strength." He stepped back from
her.

"You are free to go, but if you return the doom against you is death
like that of any wild beast that steals down the cliffs to kill in my
fields. Begone, and let me see your face no more. Joseph, take them to
the gate."

And he turned his back with a slowness which made his resolution the
more unmistakable.

_CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR_

It was, unquestionably, a tempting of Providence, but Connor was almost
past caring. Far off he heard the neighing of an Eden Gray; Ruth, with
her bowed head and face covered in her hands, was before him, sobbing;
and all that he had come so near to winning and yet had lost rushed upon
the mind of the gambler. He hardly cared now whether he lived or died.
He called to the master of the Garden, and David whirled on him with a
livid face. Connor walked into the reach of the lion.

"I've made my play," he said through his teeth, "and I don't holler
because I've lost the big stakes. Now I'm going to give you something to
show that I'm not a piker--some free advice, Dave!"

"O man of many lies," said David. "Peace! For when I hear you there is a
great will come on me to take you by the throat and hear your life go
out with a rattle."

"A minute ago," said Connor coolly enough, "I was scared, and I admit
it, but I'm past that stage. I've lost too much to care, and now you're
going to hear me out to the last damned word!"

"God of Paul and Matthew," said David, his voice broken with rage, "let
temptation be far from me!"

"You can take it standing or sitting," said Connor, "and be damned to
you!"

The blind fury sent David a long step nearer, but he checked himself
even as one hand rose toward Connor.

"It is the will of God that you live to be punished hereafter."

"No matter about the future. I'm chattering in the present. I'm going to
come clean, not because I'm afraid of you, but because I'm going to
clear up the girl. Abraham had the cold dope, well enough. I came to
crook you out of a horse, Dave, my boy, and I did it. But after I'd got
away with the goods I tried to play hog, and I came back for the rest of
the horses."

He paused; but David showed no emotion.

"You t