bering trot for the
camp. Ten minutes later a score of men stood within their leader's
shack.

Koppy knew he had time. The boss was gone for the evening; and he knew
something of lovers' rambles. One gang he despatched into the forest
after Tressa and Conrad. A second crawled in detachments through the
woods to the powder cache near Conrad's shack. Heppel had charge of
the first, Werner of the other. Werner, given his orders, demurred.

"Thanks, Koppy, but I don't think it's a thing I couldn't do without."

"Five men will do," said Koppy.

"Five men's six too many," grumbled Werner. "Why d'you pick yours
truly for all the soft jobs?"

"You are honoured. Only three of you--"

"I'll give up my share of the honour to Morani's; he's fair bubbling
for a chance to wipe out the miss he made with his dirk the other
night. I'm not a bit resentful. I don't care if I never see the boss
again. I resign in favour of Chico."

"I need Morani."

"Not half as bad as I do, pompous one. Look here, old chap, this is a
big job, ain't it, a real big thing?"

"Perhaps the end of everything," agreed the underforeman solemnly.

"That's why I'm not hankering for it," said Werner under his breath.
"And the fellow who carries it through is going to wear a bigger jewel
in his crown, so to speak?" he asked aloud.

Koppy glowered.

"Then why not cop it yourself, old man? My crown's getting a bit
top-heavy already. You got a finer sense of balance, and your neck's
stronger. Them bolts I drew on the trestle pretty near gave me a
headache--not to say as near as you came to it when the boss got
swinging," he added with a leer. "Hugo Werner never was ambitious."

Koppy raised himself haughtily. "I order," he rapped.

"Too darn much for my skin," grumbled Werner. "It's a bad habit to get
into--for the other fellow."

But he set about obeying, for therein lay the choice of two evils.
Five experienced "rock-hogs" were put in his care, men with so little
reverence for dynamite that they chewed the sticks, from bravado at
first, later as a horrible habit.

"They're all away," Werner assured them, "and the girl. Puff!--and
it's all over."

He ran up the slope to the grade and danced in the open door of the
boss's shack; and, grinning at the convincing devil of it, they set
about their task. Armed with fuse and dynamite they crept along
underneath the bank toward the trestle. Werner, as an excuse to
linger, carried the