I turned around and met snake-glitter eyes I could never forget.

The mean mouth twisted. "I ve waited for this from the day your

messin in sent me to the state pen in Kentucky. When I broke

out with Babf-Face Burke, I knew I d catch up with you ifI went

back to Texas where everybody knows that fast horse of yours. All

I had to do was ask around. Simple, McQuinn. Simple, like yoti. "

I could only wait. Where were my pardners?

He went on, his pleasure pure and deadly. "You re dumb,

McQuinn. Plain dumb. We didn t even need to have you

watched. All we did was have Burke--that s him over there--

write dumb letters to you to lure you on and make you sweat.

We knew you d follow your horse to hell to get im back, and

that s where you come to, McQuinn... on the edge lookin down

into hell, where you ll be in just a few seconds."