Shorty had approached the cabin from the rear, having cut across the
space behind the bunkhouses when he heard the shooting. He could not be
seen by Selden and Krell as they plunged out of the door; but he had
seen Lawler when the latter dodged behind the corner of the cabin, and
as he ran toward Lawler he drew his guns.
As yet Shorty had seen no one but Lawler. He supposed Antrim and Lawler
had exchanged shots and he knew Lawler had been hit--his swaying as he
came around the corner of the cabin proved it. Knowing something of the
terrible rage that had seized the man, he suspected Lawler had burst
into the cabin, recklessly exposing himself to Antrim's fire.
And as Shorty ran toward the spot where Lawler was standing, he
expected to see Antrim follow, to complete his work.
Within a dozen feet of Lawler he halted, facing the corner. He had not
long to wait. For Selden and Krell, guns in hand, appeared almost
instantly--their faces hideous with passion. As they rushed around the
corner they saw Shorty. They saw Shorty first, because Shorty dominated
the scene. A gun in each hand, he made a terrible figure. His eyes were
blazing with the cold rage that had seized him at sight of Lawler,
wounded--for Lawler was now leaning against the wall of the cabin, and
his gun had dropped from his hand.
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