It was them fellers." "Then why didn't they kill you, if they wanted to?
They _could_ of finished you, couldn't they?
Where's my six-shooter, Aleck--you took it outen my house, and you know you did." He stepped back into the tent and began to kick around among the blankets.

"There's nothing here excepting your own rifle." He came out, unloaded the gun, smashed the lever against the nearest tree.
"You won't never need no gun no more," said he.
"I'll have to look after him, now," said Doctor Barnes, stepping forward.

He had stood looking at the crippled man, his own hands on his hips.

"He's bad off." "Keep away--don't you touch him!" It was still the new voice of Sim Gage that was talking now, and there was something in his tone which made the others all fall back.

All the time Sim Gage's rifle was covering the writhing man.
"I tried to save her," whimpered Big Aleck now.
"You lie! Why did you bring her up here then?
Why didn't you leave her there--she didn't have to come." Sim Gage still was talking now sharp, decisive.