Inside the schoolhouse Singleton was standing, beaten by the man over whom he had thought to triumph easily; by a man whose pallid face and blazing eyes conveyed to Singleton something of the terrible power and energy of him when aroused.

Singleton did not think of his guns, now; he was aware of nothing but the great awe that had seized him.  And as Lawler watched, saying nothing more, Singleton turned from him and slunk out through the door.

CHAPTER V

A MAN’S WORD

When Lawler finally emerged from the schoolhouse door there was no one about.  Far down the street, in front of a building, he saw a group of children.  Lawler recognized the building as the Wolf Saloon—­so named because of the river that ran through the town.  He had no doubt that Singleton had entered the building—­that would explain the presence of the children in front of it.

But Lawler merely glanced toward town; he turned instantly and gazed long into the great stretch of plain that ran eastward.  He caught sight of a dot on his right, so far away that it was dim in the haze of distance, and he knew Ruth had followed his advice.

Lawler watched the dot until it vanished, and when he turned again—­to mount Red King—­his color had returned, though something of the mighty passion that had gripped him was still swimming in his eyes.

He sent Red King into town at a slow lope, not even looking toward the Wolf as he passed it, but hearing subdued voices that seemed to die away as he drew close.

He brought Red King to a halt in front of the brick building in which Gary Warden had his office, dismounted, tied the horse to a hitching rail and strode to an open doorway from which ran the stairs that led to the second floor.  A gilt sign on the open door advised him of the location of Warden’s office.

With one foot on the stairs, ready to ascend, Lawler heard a woman’s voice, floating downward, coming from the landing above: 

“Well, good-bye Gary,” said the voice; “I’ll see you tonight.”

Lawler heard a man’s voice answering, the words unintelligible to him; then the woman laughed, banteringly.

Then came the sound of a door closing, and the light tread of a woman’s foot on the stairs.

Lawler had halted when he heard the woman’s voice; he now stepped back in the narrow hallway, against the open door, to give the woman room to pass him.

Turning his back to the stairs, unconcernedly waiting, subconsciously realizing that the woman was descending, he gazed past the station building to see the empty corrals on the other side of the railroad track.  His eyes narrowed with satisfaction—­for there would be room for the thousand head of cattle that Blackburn and the other men of the Circle L outfit would bring to Willets in the morning.  There would be no delay, and no camp on the edge of town, awaiting the emptying of the corral.