in' to git
one another peckin' away like this behind these rocks."

"No--_we_ ain't goin' to git _one another_--but _I'm_ goin' to get
_you_--like that!" He fired as he spoke and his bullet chipped the rock
and tore through Purdy's hat brim. "Missed, By Grab! But, that pays up
for puttin' a hole in my shirt. You was a fool for fallin' for that old
gag I put over on you!"

"An' I wouldn't of fell fer it neither, if it hadn't of be'n fer
luck--you outlucked me--if you'd of said anyone else except Cass, I
wouldn't of fell fer it."

"That wasn't luck, Purdy--that was brains. If I figured on murderin' a
man tonight--an' he knew it--do you suppose I wouldn't jump quick if I
thought he was sneakin' up behind me with a gun? You bet I would!"

"Murderin'!" Purdy's voice sounded shrill with a quavering note of fear.
"What--what do you mean--murderin'?"

"Why, I run across Cass awhile back. I told him I was huntin' you an' he
said I'd find you an' three more over here. Said you an' them had
planned to bump him an' Bill Harlow off tonight, an' you was busy
arrangin' the details. He wanted to come along--him an' Bill--but I told
him they wasn't no use--if they was only you an' three more like you, I
could handle you myself. Him an' Bill are goin' to ride over after
awhile an' see if I need any help--but I don't do I, Purdy?"

The Texan's words were drowned in a perfect tirade of curses. Purdy's
voice was shrill with fear. "I've be'n double-crossed! It's a lie!
Everyone's agin me! I ain't never had no show!" The voice trailed off in
a whine. A few moments of silence followed, and then above the edge of
Purdy's rock appeared a white handkerchief tied to the end of a
gun-barrel. Taking careful aim, the Texan fired. The white flag
disappeared and the gun struck the rocks with a ring of steel.

"You shot at a white flag!" screamed Purdy.

"You're damn right I did! An' I'll shoot at the low-lived pup that tried
to hide behind it too. My God, Purdy! No head--no guts! The only things
about you that's a man is your pants, an' shirt, an' hat--an' I spoilt
the hat!"

"Listen, Tex, listen!" the man's voice was frantic with appeal. "Let's
make medicine. You c'n have the pilgrim's woman--I don't want her--I
only wanted the reward. I was only kiddin' about bumpin' you off! Honest
I was! Listen! Let me go, Tex! Let me git away! Cass has got me
framed-up! I aimed to quit him an' turn straight! Listen--they's a girl,
Tex. Over on Red Sand-