His heart throbbed from the pain of that sudden message of death he brought.
"Beth," he called, perceiving no movement within, and compelling his voice to calmness.

"Miss Norvell." There was a slight movement near the farther wall, but it was the voice of the wounded sheriff which answered.
"Who are yer?
What was all that firin' about just now?
Damn if I ain 't too weak ter git up, but I got a gun yere, an' reckon I kin pull the trigger." "It's Winston and Hicks.

We 've had a skirmish out beyond the dump.
Those fellows tried to blow up our shaft, and we caught them at it.

Is Miss Norvell here ?" "No, I reckon not; she was sittin' yere talkin' to me when that shootin' begun, an' then she ran out the door thar.

Anybody git hurt ?" "The little Mexican girl was killed.