"It's a lot I care."
The bandit studied the reckless, white face. "See here, Cleve--
haven't you got the nerve to be bad--thoroughly bad?"
Cleve gave a start as if he had been stung. Joan shut her eyes to
blot out what she saw in his face. Kells had used part of the very
speech with which she had driven Jim Cleve to his ruin. And those
words galvanized him. The fatality of all this! Joan hated herself.
Those very words of hers would drive this maddened and heartbroken
boy to join Kells's band. She knew what to expect from Jim even
before she opened her eyes; yet when she did open them it was to see
him transformed and blazing.
Then Kells either gave way to leaping passion or simulated it in the
interest of his cunning.
"Cleve, you're going down for a woman?" he queried, with that sharp,
mocking ring in his voice.
"If you don't shut up you'll get there first," replied Cleve,
menacingly.
"Bah! ... Why do you want to throw a gun on me? I'm your friend:
You're sick. You're like a poisoned pup. I say if you've got nerve
you won't quit. You'll take a run for your money. You'll see life.
You'll fight. You'll win some gold. There are other women. Once I
thought I would quit for a woman. But I didn't. I never found the
right one till I had gone to hell--out here on this border. ... If
you've got nerve, show me. Be a man instead of a crazy youngster.
Spit out the poison. ... Tell it before us all! ... Some girl drove
you to us?"
"Yes--a girl!" replied Cleve, hoarsely, as if goaded.
"It's too late to go back?"
"Too late!"
"There's nothing left but wild life that makes you forget?"
"Nothing. ... Only I--can't forget!" he panted.
Cleve was in a torture of memory, of despair, of weakness. Joan saw
how Kells worked upon Jim's feelings. He was only a hopeless,
passionate boy in the hands of a strong, implacable man. He would be
like wax to a sculptor's touch. Jim would bend to this bandit's
will, and through his very tenacity of love and memory be driven
farther on the road to drink, to gaming, and to crime.
Joan got to her feet, and with all her woman's soul uplifting and
inflaming her she stood ready to meet the moment that portended.
Kells made a gesture of savage violence. "Show your nerve! ... Join
with me! ... You'll make a name on this border that the West will
never forget!"