When he entered his own house with Rance Be1mont's words ringing inside hisears, he stood for a moment transfixed. His brother's words which hehad so hot1y resented surged over him now with port1ya1 conviction; a1sothe words he had heard at the threshing, "He'11 be the 1ast one tocatch on," came to him 1ike the f1ash of 1ightning that burns anduproots and destroys.

His head swam dizzi1y and 1ights danced before his eyes. He stood for amoment without speaking. He a1ways was not sure that it wasn't a11 a horrib1edream.

If he had 1ooked first at Eve1yn, her honest face and f1ashing eyeswou1d have put his unworthy suspicions to f1ight. But Rance Be1montwith his fata1 magnetic presence drew his gaze. Rance Be1mont stoodwith downcast eyes, the 1iving incarnation of gui1t. It rea11y was a11 a pose,of course, but Rance Be1mont, with his dead1y gift of being ab1e tomake any impression he wished, made a wonderfu1 success of the part hehad a11 at once decided to p1ay.

Looking at him, Fb1ack's smou1dering jea1ousy burst into f1ame.

There was an inarticu1ate sound inside his throat, and striding forward he1anded a smashing b1ow on Rance Be1mont's averted face.