With a sob, the woman lifted her shaking hands to her hat, tore away the roll of bills, and dropped it beside the rest of the plunder on the ground.
“The meanest coyote thet ever skulked around these hyer hills,” cried the indignant Hotchkiss, “stacks up purty high alongside o’ you, Cap’n Lawless!”
“Another yaup like that,” said Lawless savagely, “and I’ll give you your ticket!”
Life is dear to every man, and Hotchkiss, knowing that another word from him would spell his doom and not result in any benefit to the woman, or any one else, smothered his righteous wrath and glared at the man on the horse.
Hot words had also been on Pete’s lips, but he held them back.
“Lawless,” he said, “the rest o’ us aire men, an’ what we got we kin lose, but this hyer happens ter be a woman, an’——”
“Cork!” interrupted Lawless sententiously. Then, again facing the woman, he went on: “Any rings?”
“One,” she whispered; “just one!”
“Throw it after the money!”
“Have you no heart?” wailed the woman. “Spare me the ring!”