"How did you do it?" queried Calder. "I was all prepared for a gun-play."
"Why, you seen I didn't do nothin'."
"Then what in the world made Sandy freeze while his hand was on the way to his gun?"
"I dunno," sighed Dan, "but when I see his hand start movin' I sort of wanted his blood—I wanted him to keep right on till he got hold of his gun—and maybe he seen it in my eyes an' that sort of changed his mind."
"I haven't the least doubt that it did," said Calder grimly.
At the foot of the table Jacqueline's right-hand neighbour was saying:
"What happened, Jac?"
"Don't ask me," she replied. "All I know is that I don't think any less of Sandy because he backed down. I saw that stranger's face myself an' I'm still sort of weak inside."
"How did he look?"
"I dunno. Jest—jest hungry. Understand?"
She was silent for a time, but she was evidently thinking hard. At last she turned to the same man.