The Intervention of Swanson

"Don't fire, boys!" he commanded, his voice ringing clear and
purposeful. "Drop your guns; it's all right. This is my game, and I
intend to play it out alone."

Farnham laughed, the quick reaction possibly affecting even his iron
nerves. Winston whirled and fronted him, the gray eyes blazing.

"Damn you, you sneaking, sneering brute!" he burst forth. "You thief,
you woman-beater, you unspeakable cur! I surrender to the sheriff of
Gulpin County, not to you. I 've got the evidence to send you to the
penitentiary, and I 'll do it, even though I stand myself in the shadow
of death while I bear witness to your infamy. You think this arrest
will shut my mouth! You imagine this will render me harmless! But, by
God, it will not! I 'll fight you until the last breath leaves my
body. I 'll tear you out from the protection of law; I 'll show you
the kind of a man you have stacked up against. I don't know whether
this murder charge is all a trick or not; I don't more than half
believe Jack Burke is dead. But be that as it may, I 'll pull you
down, Biff Farnham, not in any revenge for wrong done me, but to save a
woman whom you know. I 'll do it, damn you, though it cost me my life!"

The sheriff's iron hand fell in restraint upon his shoulder, the burly
body interposed between them.

"You're all right," Hayes said quietly, his eyes pleasantly interested.
"You 've been squar' with me, young fellow, an' I 'm goin' ter be
squar' with you. You kin bet on that. They 'll give you a chance down
below to fight out your quarrel with Farnham."