"Yes! And you brought him up here with you, and brought his death to
Pierre. What'll you do to save him now? Pierre!"

She turned and fled out among the trees, and after her ran Mary,
calling, like the other: "Pierre!"

CHAPTER XXXVIII

THE WAITING

After that call first reached him, clear to his ears though vague as a
murmur at the ear of Mary, McGurk swung to the saddle of his white
horse, and galloped down the gorge like a veritable angel of death.

The end was very near, he felt, yet the chances were at least ten to
one that he would miss Pierre in the throat of the gorge, for among the
great boulders, tall as houses, which littered it, a thousand men might
have passed and repassed and never seen each other. Only the calling
of Pierre could guide him surely.

The calling had ceased for some moments, and he began to fear that he
had overrun his mark and missed Pierre in the heart of the pass, when,
as he rounded a mighty boulder, the shout ran ringing in his very ears:
"McGurk!" and a horseman swung into view.

"Here!" he called in answer, and stood with his right hand lifted,
bringing his horse to a sharp halt, like some ancient cavalier stopping
in the middle of the battle to exchange greetings with a friendly foe.

The other rider whirled alongside, his sombrero's brim flaring back
from his forehead, so that McGurk caught the glare of the eyes beneath
the shadow.

"So for the third time, my friend--" said McGurk.

"Which is the fatal one," answered Pierre. "How will you die, McGurk?
On foot or on horseback?"

"On the ground, Pierre, for my horse might stir and make my work messy.
I love a neat job, you know."

"Good."

They swung from the saddles and stood facing each other.

"Begin!" commanded McGurk. "I've no time to waste."

"I've very little time to look at the living McGurk. Let me look my
fill before the end."

"Then look, and be done. I've a lady coming to meet me."

The other grew marvelously calm.

"She is with you, McGurk?"

"My dear Pierre, I've been with her ever since she started up the Old
Crow."

"It will be easier to forget her. Are you ready?"

"So soon? Come, man, there's much for us to say. Many old times to
chat over."

"I only wonder," said Pierre, "how one death can pay back what you've
done. Think of it! I've actually run away from you and hidden myself
away among the hills. I've feared you, McGurk!"

He said it with a deep astonishment,