“Was Jim Banner there?”
“Jim Banner’s sick in bed––got th’ cholery morbus.”
Tharon’s eyes began to blaze.
“Bah!” she snapped, “th’ time’s ripe! Come on, boys,” and she whirled from the Court House. 189
As she ran across the street to where the Finger Marks were tied, she came face to face with Kenset on Captain.
Her face was red from brow to throat, her voice thick with rage.
“You talked o’ law, Mr. Kenset,” she cried at the brown horse’s shoulder, her eyes upraised to his, “an’ see what law there is in Lost Valley! Step Service has buried th’ snow-packer––without a by-your-leave from nobody! Th’ man––or woman––that kills Courtrey now ’counts for three men––Harkness, Last an’ Pete. I’m on my way to th’ Stronghold.”
She whirled again to run for the stallion, but the forest man leaned down and caught her shoulder in a grip of steel.
“Not now,” he said in that compelling low voice, “not now. I want to talk to you.”
“But I don’t want to talk to you!” she flung out, “I’m goin’!”