hat's the start. What next? Murray keeps to the play of the
loyal friend and protector. It's all smooth to him, and only needs the
playing. The store and its trade, and his fortune are left by Allan to
his widow. He's completed his first step without a snag cropping up.
Meanwhile you come along.

"Murray's quick to see things. Louis Creal tells him you've been
around Bell River. He tells him you've found the Indian workings. He
tells him he nearly got you cold. Besides that Murray figgers around
you and Jessie. It's the first snag he's hit, and it's one to be
cleared. But it's just incidental to his scheme, which has to be put
through. And his scheme? It's so easy--now. He's got to marry Jessie
and so make himself one of the family. The widow'll be glad to hand
over her fortune to be administered by Jessie's husband. And, in the
end, the whole outfit'll come into Jessie's hands, and so into his.
But there's a further snag. Alec is to get the business at his
mother's death. And Alec hasn't any use for Murray, and, if foolish,
is hot-headed. Alec has to be got rid of. How? The father's murder
can't be safely repeated. How then? Alec is yearning for life. He's
yearning to wallow in the sink of Leaping Horse. Murray encourages
him. Murray persuades his mother. Murray takes him down there, and
flings him into the sink. But Murray hasn't forgotten you. Not by a
lot. He's going to match your outfit. He's going to measure his wits
against yours. He's going to get you done up on Bell River the same as
Allan Mowbray, and the play will be logical for all who hear of it. So
he ships in the supplies and makes ready. Meanwhile the boy plays into
his hands. He gets all tied up with the woman belonging to Shaunbaum.
And Shaunbaum figgers to kill him. Murray needs that. It'll save him
acting that way himself. But he's taking no chances. He watches all
the while. He locates everything, every move Shaunbaum makes. How I
can't guess, but it's easy to a feller like Murray. Well, the gunmen
get around. Maybe you'll say this is just a guess. It don't seem that
way to me. I sort of see it all doing. The day Alec's to be shot up
by Shaunbaum's gunmen gets around. That morning Murray pulls out
north. Then comes night. He sneaks back. I seem to see Murray
sitting around in one of the boxes opposite us. Maybe he came in
quietly amongst the crowd. He keeps close in that box, hidden. He
watches.