The mocking grin expanded; into the husky voice crept a snarl of
defiance, for now Murphy's courage had come back--he was fronting flesh
and blood. "Oh, stop preachin'--an' shoot--an' be damned ter ye!"
"You do me a grave injustice, Murphy. In the first place, I do not
possess the nature of an Indian, and am not out for revenge. Your
slashing at me down in Glencaid has n't left so much as a sting behind.
It's completely blotted out, forgotten. I haven't the slightest desire
to kill you, man; but I do want to clear my name of the stain of that
crime. I want you to tell the whole truth about that night's work at
Bethune; and when you have done so, you can go. I 'll never lay a
finger on you; you can go where you please."
"Bah!--ye ain't got no proof--agin me--'sides, the case is closed--it
can't be opened agin--by law."
"You devil! I 'd be perfectly justified in killing you," exclaimed
Hampton, savagely.
Murphy stared at him stupidly, the cunning of incipient insanity in his
eyes. "En' whar--do ye expect--me ter say--all this, pervidin', of
course--I wus fule 'nough--ter do it?"
"Up yonder before Custer and the officers of the Seventh, when we get
in."
"They'd nab me--likely."
"Now, see here, you say it is impossible for them to touch you, because
the case is closed legally. Now, you do not care very much for the
opinion of others, while from every other standpoint you feel perfectly
safe. But I 've had to suffer for your crime, Murphy, suffer for
fifteen years, ten of them behind stone walls; and there are others who
have suffered with me. It has cost me love, home, all that a man holds
dear. I 've borne this punishment for you, paid the penalty of your
act to the full satisfaction of the law. The very least you can do in
ordinary decency is to speak the truth now. It will not hurt you, but
it will lift me out of hell."
Murphy's eyes were cunning, treacherously shifting under the thatch of
his heavy brows; he was like an old rat seeking for any hole of refuge.
"Well--maybe I might. Anyhow, I'll go on--with ye. Kin I sit up? I
'm dog tired--lyin' yere."
"Unbuckle your belt, and throw that over first."
"I'm damned--if I will. Not--in no Injun--country."
"I know it's tough," retorted Hampton, with exasperating coolness, his
revolver's muzzle held steady; "but, just the same, it's got to be
done. I know you far too well to take chances on your gun. So
unlimber."