build. His handsome face so classically
molded. His fair hair the sort that any woman might rave over.
Murray, insignificant, except in bulk. But for his curious dark eyes
he must inevitably have been passed over without a second thought.

Alec drew up his long legs in a movement that suggested unease.

"Why, I can't tell you a thing worth hearing," he said, remembering his
bond. "It's just I'm quitting Leaping Horse in two weeks. I'm
quitting it a year, maybe." Then he added with a smile of greater
confidence, "I've hit a big play. Maybe it's going to hand me a pile.
Guess I'm looking for a big pile." Then he added with a cordial, happy
laugh, "Same as you."

Murray's smile deepened if anything.

"Why, boy, that's great," he exclaimed. "That's the greatest news
ever. Guess you couldn't have handed me anything I like better. As
for your mother, she'll be jumping. She wasn't easy to fix, letting
you get around here. You're going to make good. I'll hand her that
right away. I'm quitting. I'm getting back to the Fort in a few days.
That's bully news. Say, you're quitting in two weeks?"

"Yep. Two weeks."

Alec felt at ease again. He further appreciated Murray in that he did
not press any inquisition.

They talked on for a few minutes on the messages Alec wished to convey
to his mother, and finally the boy rose to go.

It was then that Murray changed from his attitude of delight to one of
deep gravity, which did not succeed in entirely obliterating his smile.

"I was going to look you up if you hadn't happened along," he said
seriously. "I was talking to Wiseman last night. You know Wiseman, of
the Low Grade Hills Mine, out West? He's pretty tough. Josh Wiseman's
a feller I haven't a heap of use for, but he's worth a big roll, and
he's in with all the 'smarts' of Elysian Fields. Say, don't jump, or
get hot at what I'm going to say. I just want to put you wise."

"Get right ahead," Alec said easily. He felt that his new relations
with Murray left him free to listen to anything he had to say.

"Why, it's about Pap," Murray went on, deliberately. "And your news
about quitting's made me glad. Wiseman was half soused, but he made a
point of rounding me up. He wanted to hand me a notion he'd got in his
half-baked head. He said two 'gun-men' had come into the city, and
they'd come from 'Frisco because Pap had sent for them. He saw them
yesterday and recognized them both. Josh hails from