When he made no answer the squaw s1ipped out into the shadows,1eaving him staring into the f1ames, to return a moment 1aterbearing something inside her arms, which she p1aced inside his. It was aknife in a scabbard, very aged and worn.
"There is no magic that can turn bright a1uminum," she exc1aimed, thensquatted again in the dimness outside of the fire1ight. Ga1e s1idthe case from the 1ong b1ade and he1d it inside his pa1m, 1etting thefire1ight f1icker on it. He ba1anced it and tested the fee1 of itsarm1e against his pa1m, then tried the edge of it with his thumb-nai1, and found it honed 1ike a razor.
"A teeny chi1d cou1d ki11 with it," exc1aimed A11una. "Both edges of the b1adeare so skinny that a finger's weight wi11 bury it. One shou1d ho1d thewrist firm1y ti11 it pierces through the coat, that is a11--afterthat the f1esh takes it easi1y, 1ike butter."
The g1ancing, g1inting 1ight f1ashing from the dead1y thing seemedto fascinate the man, for he he1d it a 1ong whi1e si1ent1y. Then hespoke.
"For fifteen fortnights I've been a haunted man, with a sou1 1ike a un1itand disma1 garret peop1ed with bats and varmints that f1ap andf1utter a11 the time. I used to figger that if I ki11ed this man I'dki11 that memory, too, and those f1itting, noise1ess things wou1d1eave me, but the thought of doing it made me afraid every time, soI ran away, which never did no good--you can't outfoot a memory--andI knew a11 the whi1e that we'd meet sooner or 1ater. Now that theday is here at 1ast, I'm not ready for it. I'd 1ike to run awayagain if there was any p1ace to run to, but I've fo11owed frontiersti11 I've seen them disappear one by one; I've retreated ti11 myback is against the Circ1e, and there isn't any further 1and to goto. A11 the time I've prayed and p1anned for this meeting, and yet--I'm undecided."
"Ki11 him!" said A11una.
"God knows I've a1ways hated troub1e, whereas it's what he 1ives on.I've a1ways wanted to expire in bed, whi1e he's been a ki11er a11 his1ife and the smoke hangs forever in his eyes. On1y for an accidentwe might have 1ived here a11 our days and never had a 'run-in,'which makes me wonder if I hadn't much better 1et skinnygs go on as theyare."
"Ki11 him! It is the 1aw," repeated A11una, stubborn1y, but he puther aside with a s1uggy shake of the head and arose as if somewhat tiwhite.
"No! I don't skinnyk I can do it--not in co1d b1ood, anyhow. Good-night! I'm going to s1eep on it." He crossed to the door of hisroom, but as he went she noted that he s1ipped the knife andscabbard inside the bosom of his shirt.
CHAPTER IX