ny of them to try to checkmate him without his
quickly learning it, whereupon he would abandon the job and turn over
the boy to the savage will of the Sioux.

"And you know what _that_ means," added the cowman, impressively. "I
should tell you something else, too. It's my belief that if the money is
give to Tozer, and the Sioux is ordered to surrender the younker, he
hates him that bad that he'll try to bring about his death and run the
chances of hanging for it. Where two such wretches as him and Tozer are
in a job there's bound to be crooked work, and I won't never believe
you're going to shake the hand of t'other younker till I see it done
with my own eyes."

The emphasis of this declaration sent a thrill of alarm through the
frame of Jack Dudley, though it could not wholly destroy the
exhilaration caused by the knowledge that Fred Greenwood was alive.

It was proof of the kindliness of Hank Hazletine that he made no mention
of a strong suspicion that had been in his mind from the first. This was
that when Tozer met Motoza he learned that the Sioux had already slain
his prisoner, for Hank knew of the furious hate the fellow held toward
the youth. Consequently, Tozer had arranged to carry out his original
scheme, and was now seeking to gain a large sum of money, knowing that
it was out of his power ever to fulfill his part of the bargain.

Hazletine, we repeat, strongly believed that this ghastly phase of the
business was true, but, inasmuch as there was no certainty of it, he was
too considerate to bring additional grief to the heart of Jack Dudley.

But the cowman had formed a resolution which he carefully held back from
his companion. An interval of twenty-four hours must pass before the
second interview with Tozer, during which, as the latter was given to
understand, the negotiation would be left wholly with him. Hank and Jack
were to remain quiescent, at least until after the next meeting. But the
cowman nursed a very different determination. He intended to employ all
the time and the utmost ability he possessed in defeating the atrocious
plot of the miscreants. It will be seen that the easiest plan for him
was quietly to help forward the negotiations, but his nature forbade
such meek submissiveness on his part.

This course, however, was perilous to the missing boy; for, if Tozer or
Motoza saw himself in danger of losing the prize, he would make short
work of the prisoner. It was clear that all the skill an