"You don't know that man," said Father O'Malley, with conviction.
But Alaire insisted, half hysterically now: "I do; that's just it,
I DO know him. He is planning the greatest things for himself, his
head is in the clouds, and he daren't do the things he used to do.
That's why I called in those women as witnesses. He can't put THEM
out of the way. With Dave gone I'll be safe. He can't ignore our
marriage. But otherwise--There's no telling what he may do. Why,
he'll kill you, Dave, as he killed Ed." She upturned a face
eloquent with pleading. "Won't you do this for me?"
"No!" Law declared, firmly. "You wouldn't ask it if you were in
your senses. Get me a gun and I'll shoot my way out. We'll go
until they stop us. But don't ask me to leave you."
She searched his face eagerly, piteously, then with a quivering
sigh relaxed her tension. "Then we've only made matters worse.
You've spoiled our only chance."
Father O'Malley, who had been lost in thought, spoke up again:
"Perhaps you will let me try my wits. But first, do I understand
that it was he who effected the death of--Mr. Austin?"
Dave recounted as coherently as he could the circumstances of Ed's
death, and told how he had learned, through Jose, of Longorio's
intentions.
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