"I kin still do thet," he declared in a rage-choked voice. "I did hire a feller ter kill ye, but he failed me. Now I'm goin' ter finish ther job myself."
Then the door opened and old Caleb Harper called from the threshold:
"Did I hear somebody shout out in hyar? What's ther matter, Bas?"
As the menacing face hung over him, Maggard saw it school itself slowly into a hard composure and read a peremptory warning for silence in the eyes. The outstretched hands had already touched him, and now they remained holding his shoulders as the voice answered:
"Cal jest woke up. I reckon he war outen his head, an' I'm heftin' him up so's he kin breath freer."
Old Man Harper came over to the bed and Rowlett released his hold and moved away.
"I've done been studyin' whether Dorothy's goin' ter make hit acrost ter Jase Burrell's or not," said Caleb, quaveringly. "I fears me ther storm hes done washed out the ford."
Then he crossed to the hearth and sat down in a chair to light his pipe.