ad screened himself behind a
clump of bush. His first look at the other assured him that he was right in
using caution. The moon had risen, and the light of it fell in the packer's
face. It was a dead, stonelike gray. His cheeks seemed thinner than when
Aldous had seen him a few hours before and there was despair in the droop
of his shoulders. His eyes were what startled Aldous. They were like coals
of fire, and shifted swiftly from point to point in the bush. For a moment
they stood silent.

"Sit down," Stevens said then. "Get out of the moonlight. I've got
something to tell you."

They crouched behind the bush.

"You know what happened," Stevens said, in a low voice. "I lost my outfit."

"Yes, I saw what happened, Stevens."

The packer hesitated for a moment. One of his big hands reached out and
gripped John Aldous by the arm.

"Let me ask you something before I go on," he whispered. "You won't take
offence--because it's necessary. She looked like an angel to me when I saw
her up at the train. But you _know_. Is she good, or----You know what we
think of women who come in here alone. That's why I ask."

"She's what you thought she was, Stevens," replied Aldous. "As pure and as
sweet as she looks. The kind we like to fight for."

"I was sure of it, Aldous. That's why I sent the kid for you. I saw her in
your cabin--after the outfit went to hell. When I come back to camp, Quade
was here. I was pretty well broken up. Didn't talk to him much. But he seen
I had lost everything. Then he went on down to your place. He told me that
later. But I guessed it soon as he come back. I never see him look like he
did then. I'll cut it short. He's mad--loon mad--over that girl. I played
the sympathy act, thinkin' of you--an' _her_. He hinted at some easy money.
I let him understand that at the present writin' I'd be willing to take
money most any way, and that I didn't have any particular likin' for you.
Then it come out. He made me a proposition."

Stevens lowered his voice, and stopped to peer again about the bush.

"Go on," urged Aldous. "We're alone."

Stevens bent so near that his tobacco-laden breath swept his companion's
cheek.

"He said he'd replace my lost outfit if I'd put you out of the way some
time day after to-morrow!"

"Kill me?"

"Yes."

For a few moments there was a silence broken only by their tense breathing.
Aldous had found the packer's hand. He was gripping it hard.

"Thank you, old man," he sa