ut obvious and resentful reluctance that Lew Hank
withdrew. Even his hardihood, however, was unequal to resisting so
direct an order from his chief.

The two men watched him out of earshot. Then Dug, with almost
precipitate haste, turned back to his visitor.

"Now, sir, I'm ready to hear anything you need to tell me."

But Bob was thinking of Ju Penrose as he had thought of him many times
since he had listened and yielded to Effie's appeal. Every man has his
price. Bob knew now that he, like the rest, had his price. That price
a woman had set for him. Ju was right--hatefully right. Well, he
would now refuse to be robbed of one cent of it.

He looked up sharply as the other made his demand.

"You're offering ten thousand dollars reward for the| capture of the
Lightfoot gang, Mr. McFarlane?"

"That's so."

The rancher's regard had deepened. There was a curious light shining
in his blue eyes. It was half speculative, half suggestive of growing
excitement. It was wholly full of a burning interest.

"Say, I'd just like to know how I stand." Bob laughed that short hard
laugh which bears no trace of mirth. "You see, I can put you wise. I
can lead you right on to their camp so you can get 'em--while they're
sleeping, or any other old way. Oh, yes, I'm ready to play my part
right up to the limit. It don't matter a thing. I'm not just here to
tell you about things. I'm here to lead you to that camp, and take a
hand in the hanging when you get busy. You see, I'm a whole hogger.
But I want to know how things stand about that ten thousand dollar
reward. Do I get it? If I get shot up does my wife get it? And when
it's paid, do you shout about it? Does the gang down Orrville way need
to know who it was they forgot to hand the name of Judas to when he was
christened? I don't care a cuss on my own account. It's----"

But Dug McFarlane broke in upon the bitter raillery. He had no thought
for the man or his feelings, just for one moment it seemed to him that
some sort of miracle had happened. And his every thought and feeling
was absorbed in it. Here, after five years of vain effort, here, after
five years of depredations which had almost threatened the cattle
industry in the district with complete crippling, here was a man who
could lead them to the raiders' hiding-place, could show them how the
hanging they all so cordially desired could be brought about. It was
stupendous. It was--yes, it was mira