"Cut in between 'em, girl. You can handle 'em. I can't!"
She responded instantly, before Terry recovered from his shock of surprise.
"Slim, keep away from your gun!"
She spoke as she whirled from her chair to her feet. It was strange to see her direct all her attention to Slim, when Phil Marvin seemed the one about to draw.
"I ain't even nearin' my gun," asserted Slim truthfully. "It's Phil that's got a strangle hold on his."
"You're waiting for him to draw," said the girl calmly enough. "I know you, Slim. Phil, don't be a fool. Drop your hand away from that gat!"
He hesitated; she stepped directly between him and his enemy of the moment and jerked the gun from its holster. Then she faced Slim. Obviously Phil was not displeased to have the matter taken out of his hands; obviously Slim was not so pleased. He looked coldly up to the girl.
"This is between him and me," he protested. "I don't need none of your help, Kate."
"Don't you? You're going to get it, though. Gimme that gun, Slim Dugan!"
"I want a square deal," he complained. "I figure Phil has been crooking the dice on me."