than to suppose that a man of Senator Rexhill's
prominence would stoop to physical coercion of an adversary. The
question would merely be one of personal probity, with the presumption
on the Senator's side.

"Once we get a title to the land, a handle to fight with, we sha'n't
care what you try to do," Moran explained further. "We can afford to
laugh at you." That seemed to Wade to be true. "If you accept my offer
now, I will set you free as soon as this check is in the bank, and the
settlement of our personal scores can go over to another time. I assure
you that I am just as anxious to get at you as you are to get at me, but
I've always made it a rule never to mix pleasure and business. You'll
have a fair start to get away. On the other hand, if you refuse, you'll
be left here without food. Once each day I'll visit you; at other times
you'll be left alone, except when Goat may care to entertain himself by
baiting you. You'll be perfectly safe here, guard or no guard, believe
me."

Moran chuckled ominously, his thoughts divided between professional
pride, excited by the thought of successfully completing the work he had
come to Crawling Water to do, and exultation at the prospect that his
sufferings while gagged the previous night might be atoned for a
thousand times if Wade should refuse to sign the quit-claim.

"In plain speech," said Wade, pale but calm, "you propose to starve me
to death."

"Exactly," was the cheerful assurance. "If I were you, I'd think a bit
before answering."

Because the cattleman was in the fullest flush of physical vigor, the
lust of life was strong in him. Never doubting that Moran meant what he
said, Wade was on the point of compliance, thinking to assume the burden
later on, of a struggle with Rexhill to regain his ranch. His manhood
rebelled at the idea of coercion, but, dead, he could certainly not
defend himself; it seemed to him better that he should live to carry on
the fight. He would most likely have yielded but for the taunt of
cowardice which had already been noised about Crawling Water. True, the
charge had sprung from those who liked him least, but it had stung him.
He was no coward, and he would not feed such a report now by yielding to
Moran. Whatever the outcome of a later fight might be, the fact that he
had knuckled under to the agent could never be lived down. Such success
as he had won had been achieved by playing a man's part in man's world.

"I'll tell you what I'