"Suppose I were fool enough to refuse what you ask?"
"Then you'd go to jail as sure as hell! It's you or him! And I guess I know the answer."
Then Lynette said hurriedly:
"Step back ... a little farther from the cabin. Let me make sure that he is asleep! There never was a man like him.... Back a few steps and wait...."
"There's no sense in that!"
"If you don't I'll scream out that you're here! Then you'll never take him; you know the man he is!"
Taggart mistrusted, and yet, hard-driven and urged by her voice, obeyed to the extent of drawing back a few steps. Not far, yet far enough for Lynette to stoop and grope and find the rifle. She caught it up and whirled and ran, ran as for her life, back to the cabin door. And she threw the rifle inside, crying out:
"Wake up, Bruce Standing! There's your rifle ... and here's Jim Taggart outside, looking for you!"
She came bursting into the cabin and full into Bruce Standing's arms. For he was up on his feet, both arms, despite a sore side, lifted.