“Four? Four men? He killed them?” A sort of horror was in her voice, her eyes.
“In duty, ma’am. It don’t hardly count.”
“He did not look—like that!”
“Huh! He didn’t? Well, I’d say he did! When he put on his guns they was two, and he wore his right-hand gun pointing back and his left-hand one pointing forward. I never seen no man do that before. If that don’t look perfessional killer I ain’t no jedge. Now, which gun he done use to kill the rattler I never could tell.
“He makes me study, ma’am. His eye is cold as ice. He don’t talk and he don’t laugh. He’s got something on his mind. Somehow——”
“You’d trust him, Jim?”
“Ef he was on my side. But how in hell can you tell by looking at him whose side he is on?”
“Four men! Yes”—her voice trailed off—“I thought he was—well, cold. He never did—start.”
“No; and most does, Miss Taisie. And you that was dressed up your best for him; and him a stranger you hadn’t saw sence he was a boy, and hadn’t spoke to now till he come in and seen you. And he didn’t start!
“Miss Taisie, I’ve set in some games, but I can’t read that feller’s game. He’s friendly, but he’s so damned mysterious I can’t get no line on him.”