She threw herself out of the saddle, cast hardly a glance at the drooping figure of the bay, and ran forward on foot, stumbling in the dark over fallen branches, slipping more than once and dropping flat on her face as her feet shot back without foothold from the pine needles.  But she picked herself up again and flung herself at her work with a frantic determination.

Through the trees, filtered by the branches, she saw a light.  But when she came to the edge of the clearing she made out that the illumination came from a fire, not a lantern.  The interior of the cabin was awash with shadows, and across the open doorway of the hut the monstrous and obscure outline of a standing man wavered to and fro.  There was no clamor of many voices.  And her heart leaped with relief.  Hervey and his men, then, had lost heart at the last moment.  They had not dared to attack Red Jim Perris in spite of their numbers!

But her joy died, literally, mid-leap.

“Hervey,” cried the voice of Perris, a trembling and fear-sharpened voice, “for God’s sake, wait!”

Red Perris begging, cringing to any man, to Lew Hervey?  All at once she went weak and sick, but she hurried straight towards the cabin, trying to cry out.  Her throat was closed.  She could not utter so much as a whisper.

“Listen to me!” went on Perris.  “I’ve been a fool all my life.  I know it now.  I’ve wandered around fighting and playing like a block-head.  I’ve wanted nothing but action and I’ve got it.  But now you tell me that I’ve had something else right in the hollow of my hand and I didn’t know it!  Maybe you’ve lied about her.  I dunno.  But just the thought that she might care a little about me has——­”

Marianne stopped short in the darkness and a hot wave of shame blotted out the rest of the words until the heavier voice of the foreman began again.

“Maybe you’d have me think you’re kind of fond of the girl—­that you love her, all at once, just because I told you she’s in love with you?”

“I’d have you think it and I’d have you believe it.  When a gent sits looking into the face of a gun he does his thinking and his living mighty fast and condensed.  And I know this, that if you turn me loose alive, Hervey, I’ll give you my word that I’ll forget what’s happened.  You think I’ll hit your trail with a gat.  But you’re wrong.  Make your own bargain, partner.  But when I think of what life might be now—­Hervey, I can’t die now!  I’m not ready to die!”

She had been stumbling in a daze towards the door.  Now she came suddenly in view of them, the broad back of Hervey turned towards her and Perris facing her, his face white, drawn, and changed.  And the blood-stained bandage about his forehead.  He leaned forward in his chair in the fervor of his appeal, his arms lashed against his sides with the loose of a lariat.

“Are you through begging?” sneered Hervey.

It threw Perris back in the chair like a blow in the face.  Then he straightened.