第62章

Twodaysafterhehadlefttheposse，andwhenhewasalreadyfaroutinthedesert，Marcus’shorsegaveout。Inthefuryofhisimpatiencehehadspurredmercilesslyforwardonthetrail，andonthemorningofthethirddayfoundthathishorsewasunabletomove。Thejointsofhislegsseemedlockedrigidly。Hewouldgohisownlength，stumblingandinterfering，thencollapsehelplesslyuponthegroundwithapitifulgroan。Hewasusedup。

MarcusbelievedhimselftobecloseuponMcTeaguenow。Theashesathislastcamphadstillbeensmoldering。Marcustookwhatsuppliesoffoodandwaterhecouldcarry，andhurriedon。ButMcTeaguewasfartheraheadthanhehadguessed，andbyeveningofhisthirddayuponthedesertMarcus，ragingwiththirst，haddrunkhislastmouthfulofwaterandhadflungawaytheemptycanteen。

“Ifheain’tgotwaterwithum，“hesaidtohimselfashepushedon，“Ifheain’tgotwaterwithum，bydamn！I’llbeinabadway。Iwill，forafact。“

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AtMarcus’sshoutMcTeaguelookedupandaroundhim。Fortheinstanthesawnoone。Thewhiteglareofalkaliwasstillunbroken。Thenhisswiftlyrollingeyeslighteduponaheadandshoulderthatprotrudedabovethelowcrestofthebreakdirectlyinfrontofhim。Amanwasthere，lyingatfulllengthupontheground，coveringhimwitharevolver。ForafewsecondsMcTeaguelookedatthemanstupidly，bewildered，confused，asyetwithoutdefinitethought。ThenhenoticedthatthemanwassingularlylikeMarcusSchouler。ItWASMarcusSchouler。HowintheworlddidMarcusSchoulercometobeinthatdesert？Whatdidhemeanbypointingapistolathimthatway？He’dbestlookoutorthepistolwouldgooff。Thenhisthoughtsreadjustedthemselveswithaswiftnessbornofavividsenseofdanger。Herewastheenemyatlast，thetrackerhehadfeltuponhisfootsteps。

Nowatlengthhehad“comeon“andshownhimself，afterallthosedaysofskulking。McTeaguewasgladofit。He’dshowhimnow。Theytwowouldhaveitoutrightthenandthere。

Hisrifle！Hehadthrownitawaylongsince。Hewashelpless。Marcushadorderedhimtoputuphishands。Ifhedidnot，Marcuswouldkillhim。Hehadthedroponhim。

McTeaguestared，scowlingfiercelyatthelevelledpistol。

Hedidnotmove。

“Handsup！“shoutedMarcusasecondtime。“I’llgiveyouthreetodoitin。One，two——“

InstinctivelyMcTeagueputhishandsabovehishead。

Marcusroseandcametowardshimoverthebreak。

“Keep’emup，“hecried。“Ifyoumove’emonceI’llkillyou，sure。“

HecameuptoMcTeagueandsearchedhim，goingthroughhispockets；butMcTeaguehadnorevolver；notevenahuntingknife。

“Whatdidyoudowiththatmoney，withthatfivethousanddollars？“

“It’sonthemule，“answeredMcTea