“Thank you.”  He was still good-humored.

“Look at your hands; it gives me goose-flesh when you touch me.”

“Cuttin’ down trees, diggin’, lookin’ after horses don’t leave them very white and smooth.”

“Let me go!  Let me go!”

He took a step away from the door.  His whole manner changed.

“See here, my girl.  You was educated like a lady and spent your life doin’ nothing.  Oh, I forgot:  you was a lady’s companion, wasn’t you?  And you look on yourself as a darned sight better than me.  I never had no schooling.  It’s a hell of a job for me to write a letter.  But since I was so high”—­his hand measured a distance of about three feet from the floor—­“I’ve earned my living.  I guess I’ve been all over this country.  I’ve been a trapper, I’ve worked on the railroad and for two years I’ve been a freighter.  I guess I’ve done pretty nearly everything but clerk in a store.  Now you just get busy and forget all the nonsense you’ve got in your head.  You’re nothing but an ignorant woman and I’m your master.  I’m goin’ to do what I like with you.  And if you don’t submit willingly, by God I’ll take you as the trappers, in the old days, used to take the squaws.”

For the last moment Nora could hardly have been said to have listened.  In a delirium of terror her eyes swept the little cabin, searching desperately for some means of escape.  As he made a step toward her, her roving eye suddenly fell on her husband’s gun, standing where Sharp had left it when he brought it in.  With a bound, she was across the room, the gun at her shoulder.  With an oath, Frank started forward.

“If you move, I’ll kill you!”

“You daren’t!”

“Unless you open that door and let me go, I’ll shoot you—­I’ll shoot you!”

“Shoot, then!” He held his arms wide, exposing his broad chest.

With a sobbing cry, she pulled the trigger.  The click of the falling hammer was heard, nothing more.

“Gee whiz!” shouted Taylor in admiration.  “Why, you meant it!”

The gun fell clattering to the floor.

“It wasn’t loaded?”

“Of course it wasn’t loaded.  D’you think I’d have stood there and told you to shoot if it had been?  I guess I ain’t thinking of committin’ suicide.”

“And I almost admired you!”

“You hadn’t got no reason to.  There’s nothing to admire about a man who stands five feet off a loaded gun that’s being aimed at him.  He’d be a darned fool, that’s all.”

“You were laughing at me all the time.”

“You’d have had me dead as mutton if that gun ’ud been loaded.  You’re a sport, all right, all right.  I never thought you had it in you.  You’re the girl for me, I guess!”

As she stood there, dazed, perfectly unprepared, he threw his arms around her and attempted to kiss her.

“Let me alone!  I’ll kill myself if you touch me!”

“I guess you won’t.”  He kissed her full on the mouth, then let her go.