tated.

"You've increased right fast," Slade remarked. "I'd think you'd want
to stay where you was doing so well. How much do you want?"

"Five dollars straight through," Carp said.

"Cheap enough," Slade answered. "If only a man was in the market." He
looked straight at Carp and the man's eyes slipped away from Slade's
steady gaze. "But I'm not buying. Likely Morrow will buy you out."

"Morrow ought to be here now," Carp stated. "He's coming to-night."

"Then I'd better go," Slade said. "I don't like Morrow's ways."

The thud of horse's hoofs sounded from close at hand. The two men
outside lay flat in the shadow of the house. A shrill whistle, twice
repeated, called Carp to his feet and he crossed to the door to answer
it. Morrow dismounted and came to the door. He nodded briefly to
Slade, hesitating on the sill as if surprised to find him there. Carp
lost no time in stating his proposition. He spoke jerkily.

"I want to get out," he said. "I'll sell for five dollars a head."

Morrow held up a hand to silence him.

"I'll likely buy--but I never talk business in a crowd." He crossed
the room and sat with his back to the window. "There's plenty of time."

"I take it I'm the crowd," Slade remarked. "So I'll step out."

Morrow stiffened suddenly in his chair as a cold ring was pressed
against the back of his neck through the crack of the window. At the
same instant Carp had tilted back and raised one knee. The gun that
rested on his leg was peeping over the table at Slade.

"Steady!" he ordered. "Sit tight!"

The window was thrown up to its full height by Waddles and the curtain
snatched away from the gun which Harris held against Morrow's neck.
Carp's apparent nervousness had vanished. He flipped back his vest and
revealed a marshal's badge.

"I'd as soon take you along feet first as any way," he said. "So if
you feel like acting up you can start any time now."

Slade's eyes came back from the two men at the window and rested on the
badge.

"So that's it," he said with evident relief. "A real arrest--when I
figured it was an old-fashioned murder you had planned. What do you
want with me?"

Waddles had reached down and removed Morrow's gun.

"A number of things," Carpenter said. "Obstructing the homestead laws
for one."

Slade shook his head and smiled.

"You've got the wrong party," he said. "You can't prove anything on
me."

"I don't count on that," Carp said. "You've