But he stood tall and straight, his wide shoulders flung back, with the muscles of his bound arms rippling and a blue flame of defiance in the gaze he bent on Tull.
For the first time Jane Withersteen felt Venters's real spirit.

She wondered if she would love this splendid youth.

Then her emotion cooled to the sobering sense of the issue at stake.
"Venters, will you leave Cottonwoods at once and forever ?" asked Tull, tensely.
"Why ?" rejoined the rider.
"Because I order it." Venters laughed in cool disdain.
The red leaped to Tull's dark cheek.
"If you don't go it means your ruin," he said, sharply.
"Ruin!" exclaimed Venters, passionately.

"Haven't you already ruined me?
What do you call ruin?
A year ago I was a rider.

I had horses and cattle of my own.