his own chance.

"You fellows want ter get down inter the valley?" he asked at last.

"Yes," and Brennan turned again quickly, "if it can be done. Of course
thar's only two of us, an' it would be sort o' foolish tryin' ter fight
a way through, even ag'in' Mexicans. Fifteen ter two is some odds, but
'tain't in my nature, or Jim's here, ter turn round an' leave that girl
in the hands o' them cusses--is it, Jim?"

"I never will," replied Westcott earnestly. "Not if I have to tackle
the whole outfit alone."

"You won't never have to do that. What's the idea, Moore?"

"Oh, I was just thinkin'," he answered, still uncertain. "She's a good
fellow, all right, an' I wouldn't mind givin' her a hand myself,
pervidin' you men do the square thing. If I show yer a way, what is
thar in it fer me?"

Brennan stiffened, his features expressing nothing.

"What do yer mean? I'm an officer o' the law?"

"I know it; I ain't asking yer ter make no promise. But yer word will
go a hell ov a ways if this ever gets in court.

"If I help yer I've got ter be protected frum Bill Lacy. He'd kill me
as quick as he'd look at me. Then I'd want yer ter tell the judge how
it all happened. If yer got the cards stacked, an' I reckon yer have,
I ain't big enough fool to try an' play no hand against 'em. But I
want ter know what's goin' ter happen ter me. You don't need ter
promise nuthin'; only say yer'll give me a show. I know ye're square,
Dan Brennan, an' whatever yer say goes."

The marshal stuck out his hand.

"That's the gospel truth, Matt," he said gravely, "an' I'm with yer
till the cows come home. What is it you know?"

"Well," with a quick breath as he took the plunge, "it's like this,
marshal; there is just one place out yonder," and he waved his hand to
indicate the direction, "on the east rim o' the valley, where yer might
get down. Ye'd have ter hang on, tooth an' toe-nail; but both of yer
are mountain men, an' I reckon yer could make the trip if yer took it
careful an' slow like. Leastwise that's the one chance, an' I don't
believe thar's another white critter who even knows thar is such a
trail."

"Have you ever been down?"

"Wunst, an' that was enough fer me," he confessed, drawling his words.
"Yer see it was this a-way. One time I was out there in that hell hole
plum' alone fer a whole week, just a waitin' fer Mendez ter show up so
I could ride into Haskell and tell Lacy he'd come. It was so damn
loneso