"Then I won't join your Legion."
"What WILL you do?"
"I'll take the men who stand by me and go clean up that gold-camp."
From the fleeting expression on Kells's face Joan read that he knew
Gulden's project would defeat his own and render both enterprises
fatal.
"Gulden, I don't want to lose you," he said.
"You won't lose me if you see this thing right," replied Gulden.
"You've got the brains to direct us. But, Kells, you're losing your
nerve. ... It's this girl you've got here!"
Gulden spoke without rancor or fear or feeling of any kind. He
merely spoke the truth. And it shook Kells with an almost
ungovernable fury.
Joan saw the green glare of his eyes--his gray working face--the
flutter of his hand. She had an almost superhuman insight into the
workings of his mind. She knew that then--he was fighting whether or
not to kill Gulden on the spot. And she recognized that this was the
time when Kells must kill Gulden or from that moment see a gradual
diminishing of his power on the border. But Kells did not recognize
that crucial height of his career. His struggle with his fury and
hate showed that the thing uppermost in his mind was the need of
conciliating Gulden and thus regaining a hold over the men.
"Gulden, suppose we waive the question till we're on the grounds?"
he suggested.
"Waive nothing. It's one or the other with me," declared Gulden.
"Do you want to be leader of this Border Legion?" went on Kells,
deliberately.
"No."
"Then what do you want?"
Gulden appeared at a loss for an instant reply. "I want plenty to
do," he replied, presently. "I want to be in on everything. I want
to be free to kill a man when I like."
"When you like!" retorted Kells, and added a curse. Then as if by
magic his dark face cleared and there was infinite depth and
craftiness in him. His opposition, and that hint of hate and
loathing which detached him from Gulden, faded from his bearing.
"Gulden, I'll split the difference between us. I'll leave you free
to do as you like. But all the others--every man--must take orders
from me."
Gulden reached out a huge hand. His instant acceptance evidently
amazed Kells and the others.
"LET HER RIP!" Gulden exclaimed. He shook Kells's hand and then
laboriously wrote his name in the little book.
In that moment Gulden stood out alone in the midst of wild abandoned
men. What were Kells and this Legion to him? What was the stealing
of more or less gold?