"Kane, I am so glad you came!" she said. "Why, Kane! that man--" She
shuddered and covered her face with her hands.
"I reckon that's all!" said Lawler. There was a cold, bitter grin on his
lips as he stepped around the table and stood in front of Warden.
"Warden, I'm going back to town with you. We're going right now. Go out
and get on your horse!"
Lawler's voice, the cold flame in his eyes and his icy deliberation,
told Ruth of a thing that, plainly, Warden had already seen--that though
both men would begin the ride to "town," only Lawler would reach there.
Ruth watched, fascinated, her senses dulled by what she saw in Lawler's
manner and in the ghastly white of Warden's face. Warden understood. He
understood, and his breath was labored, his flesh palsied--and still he
was going to obey. For Ruth saw him move; saw him sway toward the door;
saw Lawler watching him as though he was fighting to hold his passions
in check, fighting back a lust to kill the man where he stood.
Warden had reached the door; he was crossing the threshold--his head
bowed, his shoulders sagging, his legs bending at the knees--when Ruth
moved. She ran around the table and got between Lawler and Warden,
stretching her arms in the open doorway, barring Lawler's way.
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