Suddenlyhethrewoffasombercastofcountenance，andhebegantotalk。Hetalkedswiftly，persuasively，yetDuaneimaginedhewastalkingtosmoothLawson’spassionforthemoment。Lawsonnomorecaughtthefatefulsignificanceofalinecrossed，alimitreached，adecreedecidedthanifhehadnotbeenpresent。Hewasobsessedwithhimself。How，Duanewondered，hadamanofhismindeverlivedsolongandgonesofaramongtheexactingconditionsoftheSouthwest？Theanswerwas，perhaps，thatLongstrethhadguidedhim，upheldhim，protectedhim。ThecomingofRayLongstrethhadbeentheentering—wedgeofdissension。
\"You’retooimpatient，\"concludedLongstreth。\"You’llruinanychanceofhappinessifyourushRay。Shemightbewon。IfyoutoldherwhoIamshe’dhateyouforever。Shemightmarryyoutosaveme，butshe’dhateyou。Thatisn’ttheway。Wait。Playfortime。Bedifferentwithher。Cutoutyourdrinking。Shedespisesthat。Let’splantosellouthere——stock，ranch，property——andleavethecountry。Thenyou’dhaveashowwithher。\"
\"Itoldyouwe’vegottostick，\"growledLawson。\"Thegangwon’tstandforourgoing。Itcan’tbedoneunlessyouwanttosacrificeeverything。\"
\"Youmeandouble—crossthemen？Gowithouttheirknowing？Leavethemheretofacewhatevercomes？\"
\"Imeanjustthat。\"