w we'll need to hand out the story of reward good. It's
got to reach this gang itself. An' if I guess right, and there's
toughs from Orrville way running this lay-out, why, they aren't li'ble
to have forgotten what happened that time. We'll break the gang,
or--we'll get 'em."

There was something unrelenting, and even vicious, in the manner in
which he gripped the pencil in his hand and dug the pointed lead and
crushed it against the surface of the table. Nan drew a deep sigh of
relief as he finished speaking, and turned gladly as her father removed
his pipe and cleared his throat.

"An' the reward. How much?" he questioned.

The answer flashed back at him like the slash of a knife.

"Ten thousand dollars!"

In that answer Jeff's voice was unrecognizable to Nan. His whole
expression, too, seemed to have undergone some subtle change. She sat
groping for the meaning of it all, and somehow regretted she had not
remained out on the veranda.

Bud inclined his head and replaced his pipe in corner of his mouth.

"It goes," he declared. Then he lumbered out of his chair. "That
all?" he inquired. And by his manner and tone Nan knew that he, too,
had been affected by the things which had troubled her.

"Not quite."

Jeff turned on his own foreman. He had lost none his intensity.

"That reward goes," he said sharply. "Get the exact amount. Ten
thousand dollars. Not a cent more or less. Hand it out everywhere.
Meanwhile I'll see to it the notices are printed, and we'll have 'em
set up wherever the eyes of these scum are likely to get peeking
around." Then he emitted a sound like a laugh, but there was no mirth
in his eyes. Nor in his manner. "We'll locate the best trees for a
hanging, and we'll set 'em up there."

Nan moved over to an open window as the two headmen took their
departure. Bud had taken up a position against the cold iron stove.
Jeff alone retained his seat, during the few silent moments which
followed.

With the departure of the men, however, he looked up from a letter he
had withdrawn from his pocket.

"Say, Bud," he said without emotion, "guess the Presidency of the
Western Union's going to claim me right away. I'll need to make
Orrville right off."

"Orrville?" Bud's eyes were sharply scrutinizing.

"Sure." Jeff's indifference was obviously assumed. Nan's questioning
eyes passed uncertainly from Jeff to her father. There was something
between these two she did not unders