The Shooting of Dan McGrew, A Novel. Based on the Famous Poem of Robert Service. Marvin Dana

unseeing. The man's voice came to her very faintly, as from a great distance.

      "Well?"

      "It's all a lie, of course," Lou said, feebly. "But I—don't understand."

      The cynical exultation in Dan's smile grew. At last, he was bold enough to bring the affair to a crisis.

      "Do you dare to ride with me to the town, to test the thing for yourself?"

      "Do I dare?" Lou repeated, arousing in some degree from her apathy. "What do you mean?"

      "I mean just that," he said. His voice was intentionally brutal. "You've begun already to be afraid of the truth. Do you dare to ride to town with me, and so test the truth with your own eyes?"

      The taunt provoked her to a new anger, to a new strength. Once again, the slender form grew tense, the head was raised proudly. Her voice came harshly. There was no note of fear in it now, only a great disdain and something of cruelty.

      "I will ride with you, Dan McGrew," was her answer, "to find my husband, and I shall tell him what you've said, and he'll kill you. Now, do you dare?"

      "I dare," the man said, quietly. "Let's go."