ter's is, and it's bound to bubble over mighty sudden one of these
days," said the younger of the two, rising and stretching himself.

"It did bubble over some when he drove two thousand of my sheep over the
bluff and killed the whole outfit," suggested the namesake of the man
mentioned.

"Yes, I reckon that's some irritating," agreed McWilliams. "But if I
know him, he isn't going to be content with sheep so long as he can take
it out of a real live man."

"Or woman," suggested the sheepman.

"Or woman," agreed the other. "Especially when he thinks he can cut y'u
deeper by striking at her. If he doesn't raid the Lazy D one of these
nights, I'm a blamed poor prophet."

Bannister nodded agreement. "He's near the end of his rope. He could
see that if he were blind. When we captured Bostwick and they got a
confession out of him, that started the landslide against him. It began
to be noised abroad that the government was going to wipe him out. Folks
began to lose their terror of him, and after that his whole outfit began
to want to turn State's evidence. He isn't sure of one of them now;
can't tell when he will be shot in the back by one of his own scoundrels
for that two thousand dollars reward."

The foreman strolled negligently to the door. His eyes drifted
indolently down into the valley, and immediately sparkled with
excitement.

"The signal's out, Bann," he exclaimed. "It's in your window."

The sheepman leaped to his feet and strode to the door. Down in the
valley a light was gleaming in a window. Even while he looked another
light appeared in a second window.

"She wants us both," cried the foreman, running to the little corral
back of the house.

He presently reappeared with two horses, both saddled, and they took the
downward trail at once.

"If Miss Helen can keep him in play till we arrive," murmured Mac
anxiously.

"She can if he gives her a chance, and I think he will. There's a kind
of cat instinct in him to play with his prey."

"Yes, but he missed his kill last time by letting her fool him. That's
what I'm afraid of' that he won't wait."

They had reached lower ground now, and could put their ponies at a
pounding gallop that ate up the trail fast. As they approached the
houses, both men drew rein and looked carefully to their weapons. Then
they slid from the saddles and slipped noiselessly forward.

What the foreman had said was exactly true. Helen Messiter did want them
both, and she wan