It was like burning his
bridges before starting out to the battle; he turned his back to the cave
and started on his journey.
He had to travel in a loose semicircle, for there were two points which he
must reach on the ride, the town of Alder, where lived the seventh man who
must die for Grey Molly, and the Cumberland ranch, last of all, where he
would take Joan. Very early after his start he reached the plateau where he
had lived all those years with Kate, and he found it already sinking back
to ruin, with nothing in the corrals, and the front door swinging to and
fro idly in the wind, just as Joan had often played with it. Inside, he
knew, the rooms were empty; a current of air down the chimney had scattered
the ashes from the hearth all about the living room. Here must be a chair
overturned, and there the sand had drifted through the open door. All this
he saw clearly enough with his mind's eye, and urged Satan forward. For a
chill like the falling of sudden night had swept over him, and he shrugged
his shoulders with relief when he swept past the house.
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