CHAPTER VIII
That moment when Original Bill surprised the outlaw from Teapot Spout in his struggle to impose rough mastery upon the girl Hilma was typical of the sharp movements of climax the genius of the Big Country delights to visit upon the puppet actors in the broad sweep of her comedy. Hot love is suddenly confronted by bitter hate; in the winking of an eye a man's little moment of ecstasy is transformed into one of violence, trembling upon the pull of a trigger finger. And the genius of the Big Country, having wrought thus, veils a laugh with the sleeve of her garment.
Hilma was the first of the twain the range inspector interrupted to coördinate impulse and action. Even as Zang Whistler's hand dropped to his holster she leaped in front of him, attempting to sweep him behind her with a powerful backward stroke of her arm. The movement was purely protective, yet the in-
