"Ye forewarned me, Bas.... We both of us spoke out p'int blank ... erbout ther gal ... an' we both went on bein' ... plum friendly."
"Thet war ther best way, Cal."
"Yes.... Then ye proffered ter safeguard me.... Ye didn't hev no need ter imperil yoreself ... but ye would hev hit so."
"I reckon ye'd hev done likewise."
"No. I misdoubts I wouldn't ... anyhow ... right from ther outset on you didn't hev ter be friendly ter me ... but ye was."
"I loves fa'r mindedness," came the sanctimonious response.
A brief pause ensued while Maggard rested. He had yet some way to go, and the last part of the conversation would be the hardest.
"Most like," he continued at last, "I'll die ... but I've got a little bitty, slim chanst ter come through."
"I hopes so, Cal."
"An' ef I does, I calls on God in heaven ter witness thet afore ther moon fulls ergin ... I'm a-goin' ter kill—somebody."