ector--who'd you say it was you were working
for?"

Denver turned and looked at him, and grunted contemptuously.

"J. P. Morgan," he said and after a silence Murray answered with a
thin-lipped smile.

"That's all right, that's all right," he said with a cackle. "No hard
feeling--I just wanted to know. You're an honest young man, but there
are others who are not, and we naturally like to inquire. Are you
staying with Mr. Hill?"

"Well, not so you'd notice it," replied Denver brusquely. "I'm camped in
that cave across the crick."

"Oh, is that so?" purred Murray driving relentlessly on in his quest for
information, "did he show you any of his claims?"

"He showed me one," answered Denver and, try as he would, he could not
keep his voice from changing.

"Oh, I see," said Murray suddenly smiling triumphantly, "he showed you
that claim by the creek."

"That's the one," admitted Denver, "and it sure looked good. Have you
got any interests over there?"

"Not at present," returned Murray with a touch of asperity, "but let me
tell you a little about that claim. You're a stranger in these parts and
it's only fair to warn you that the assessment work has never been done.
He has no title, according to law; so you can govern your actions
accordingly."

"You mean," suggested Denver, "that all I have to do is to go in and
jump the claim?"

"Hell--no!" exclaimed Bible-Back startled out of his piosity. "I mean
that you had better not buy it."

"Well, thanks," drawled Denver, "this is danged considerate of you.
Shall I tell him you'll take it yourself?"

"Certainly not!" snapped back Murray, "I've enough claims, already. I'm
just warning you for your own good."

"Danged considerate," repeated Denver with a sarcastic smile, "and now
let me ask _you_ something. Who told you I wanted to buy?"

"Never mind!" returned Murray, "I've warned you, and that is enough."

"Well, all right," agreed Denver, "but if you don't want it
yourself----"

"Young man!" exclaimed Murray suddenly rising to his feet and crooking
his neck like a crane, "I guess you know who I am. I can make or break
any man in this country, and I'm telling you now--don't you buy!"

"I get you," answered Denver, and without arguing the point he rose up
and went down the trail.

CHAPTER X

SIGNS AND OMENS

When a man like Bible-Back Murray, the biggest man in the country--a
sheep-owner, a store-keeper, a political power--goes out of his way to
b