by Max Brand
CHAPTER 12
Then understanding flooded Kate's mind like waves of light in a darkroom. She tilted back her head and laughed, laughed heartily, laughedtill the tears brimmed her eyes. The gloomy scowl of Harrigan stoppedher at last. As her mirth died out, the tall form of McTee appearedsuddenly before them with his arms crossed. Where they touched hisbreast, the muscles spread out to a giant size. He was turned towardher, but the gleam of his eye fell full upon Harrigan.
"I suppose," said McTee, and his teeth clicked after each word like thebolt of a rifle shot home, "I suppose that you were laughing at me?"
The Irishman rose and faced the Scotchman, his head thrust forward anda devil in his eyes.
"An' what if we were, Misther McTee?" he purred. "An' what if wewer-r-re, I'm askin'?"
Kate leaped to her feet and sprang between them.
"Is there anything we can do," she broke in hurriedly, "to get awayfrom the island?"
"A raft?" suggested Harrigan.
McTee smiled his contempt.
"A raft? And how would you cut down the trees to make it?"
"Burn 'em down with a circle of fire at the bottom."
"And then set green logs afloat? And how fasten 'em together, evensupposing we could burn them down and drag them to the water? No,there's no way of getting off the island unless a boat passes andcatches a glimpse of our fire."
"Then we'll have to move this fire to the top of the hill," saidHarrigan.
"Suppose we go now and look over the hill and see what dry wood is nearit," said McTee.
"Good."
Something in their eagerness had a meaning for Kate.
"Would you both leave me?" she reproached them.
"It was McTee suggested it," said Harrigan.
McTee favored his comrade with a glance that would have made any otherman give ground. It merely made Harrigan grin.
"We'll draw straws for who goes and who stays," said McTee.
Kate picked up two bits of wood.
"The short one stays," she said.
"Draw," said Harrigan in a low voice.
"I was taught manners young," said McTee. "After you."
They exchanged glares again. The whole sense of her power over thesegiants came home to her as she watched them fighting their duel of theeyes.
"You suggested it," she said to McTee.
He stepped forward with an expression as grim as that of a prizefighter facing an antagonist of unknown prowess. Once and again hishand hovered above the sticks before he drew.
"You've chosen the walk to the hill," she said, and showed the shorterstick. "Do you mind?"
"No," mocked Harrigan, "he always walks after meals."
Their eyes dwelt almost fondly upon each other. They were both menafter the other's heart. Then the Scotchman turned and strode away.
Kate watched Harrigan suspiciously, but his eyes, following McTee, weregentle and dreamy.
"Ah," he murmured, "there's a jewel of a man."
"Do you like him so much?"
"Do I like him? Me dear, I love the man; I'll break his head with morejoy than a shtarvin' man cracks a nut!"
He recovered himself instantly.
"I didn't mean that--I--"
"Dan, you and McTee have planned to fight!"
He growled: "If a man told me that, I'd say he was a liar."
"Yes; but you won't lie to a girl, Harrigan."
She rose and faced him, reaching up to lay her hands on his thickshoulders.
"Will you give me your promise as an honest man to try to avoid a fightwith him?"
For she saw death in it if they met alone; certainly death for one, andperhaps for both.
"Kate, would you ask a tree to promise to avoid the lightning?"
She caught a little breath through set teeth in her angry impatience,then: "Dan, you're like a naughty boy. Can't you be reasonable?"
Despite her wrath, she noticed a quick change in his face. The blue ofhis eyes was no longer cold and incurious, but lighted, warm, andmarvelously deep.
And she said rapidly, making her voice cold to quell the uneasy, risingfire behind his eyes: "If you have made McTee angry, aren't you manenough to smooth things over--to ask his pardon?"
He answered vaguely: "Beg his pardon?"
"Why is that so impossible? For my sake, Dan!"
The light went out of his face as if a candle had been snuffed.
"For you, Kate?"
Then she understood her power fully for the first time, and found thething which she must do.
"For me. I--I--"
She let her head droop, and then glanced up as if beseeching him to askno questions.
"Look me square in the eye--so!"
He caught her beneath the chin with a grip that threatened a bruise,and his eyes burned down upon her.
"Are ye playin' with me, Kate? Are ye tryin' to torment me, or do yereally care for McTee?"
She tried with all her might, but could not answer. The rumble and ringof his voice brought her heart to her throat.
"You're tremblin'," said Harrigan, and he released her. "So it's alltrue. McTee!"
He turned on his heel like a soldier, lest she should mark the changeof his expression; but she must have noticed something, for she called:"Harrigan--Dan!"
He stopped, but would not face her.
"You have your hands clenched. Are you going out to hunt for McTee inthat black mood?"
"Kate," said Harrigan, "by my honor I'm swearin' he's as safe in myhands as a child."