Part 2 (2/2)
”I a away,” he replied with child-like defiance, at the saet so pots together and opened the door He looked back at her
”Don't forget you're to tell Mr - er - Haythorne who I am”
Messner broke the skin that had formed on the water-hole within the hour, and filled his pails But he did not return i in the trail, he walked up and down, rapidly, to keep fro, for the frost bit into the flesh like fire His beard hite with his frozen breath when the perplexed and frowning brows relaxed and decision came into his face He had id lips and cheeks crackled into a chuckle over it The pails were already skinned over with young ice when he picked them up and made for the cabin
When he entered he found the othernear the stove, a certain stiff aardness and indecision in his manner Messner set down his water-pails
”Glad to meet you, Grahaing an introduction
Messner did not offer his hand Wo for the other the hatred one is prone to feel for one he has wronged
”And so you're the chap,” Messner said in lad to meet you I have been - er - curious to knohat Theresa found in you - where, I may say, the attraction lay Well, well”
And he looked the other up and down as a man would look a horse up and down
”I kno you an
”Don't erated cordiality of voice and manner ”Never mind that What I want to know is how do you find her? Up to expectations? Has she ell? Life been all a happy dream ever since?”
”Don't be silly,” Theresa interjected
”I can't help being natural,” Messner complained
”You can be expedient at the same time, and practical,” Wo to do?”
Messner esture of helplessness ”I really don't know It is one of those iainst which there can be no provision”
”All three of us cannot reht in this cabin”
Messner nodded affiret out”
”That also is incontrovertible,” Messner agreed ”When three bodies cannot occupy the saet out”
”And you're that one,” Worimly ”It's a ten-ht”
”And that's the first flaw in your reasoning,” the other objected ”Why, necessarily, should I be the one to get out? I found this cabin first”
”But Tess can't get out,” Wohtly chilled”
”I agree with you She can't venture ten miles of frost By all means she must remain”
”Then it is as I said,” Womble announced with finality
Messner cleared his throat ”Your lungs are all right, aren't they?”
”Yes, but what of it?”
Again the other cleared his throat and spoke with painstaking and judicial slowness ”Why, Ito your own reasoning, there is nothing to prevent your getting out, hitting the frost, so to speak, for a ht”
Woht in her eyes a glint of pleased surprise
”Well?” he deer darkened his face He turned upon Messner
”Enough of this You can't stop here”
”Yes, I can”
”I won't let you” Wos”
”I'll stay anyway,” the other persisted
”I'll put you out”
”I'll come back”
Womble stopped a moment to steady his voice and control himself Then he spoke slowly, in a low, tense voice
”Look here, Messner, if you refuse to get out, I'll thrash you This isn't California I'll beat you to a jelly with ed his shoulders
”If you do, I'll call aup to the nearest tree As you said, this is not California They're a simple folk, these miners, and all I'll have to do will be to show the, tell them the truth about you, and present my claim for my wife”
The woman attempted to speak, but Womble turned upon her fiercely
”You keep out of this,” he cried
In marked contrast was Messner's ”Please don't intrude, Theresa”
What of her anger and pent feelings, her lungs were irritated into the dry, hacking cough, and with blood-suffused face and one hand clenched against her chest, she waited for the paroxys her cough