o wait an' see Gul hang, but if you press me, I'll agree
to stand pat with the cards Jesse's dealt," replied Handy Oliver.

Then Kells turned with a bright gleam upon his face. "And you--Pearce?"

"I'd say yes in a minute if I'd not have to take a hand in thet job,"
replied Pearce, with a hard laugh. "Gulden won't be so easy to kill.
He'll pack a gunful of lead. I'll gamble if the gang of us cornered him
in this cabin he'd do for most of us before we killed him."

"Gul sleep alone, no one knows where," said Handy Oliver. "An' he can't
be surprised. Red's correct. How're we goin' to kill him?"

"If you gents will listen you'll find out," rejoined Jesse Smith.
"Thet's the job for young Cleve. He can do it. Sure Gulden never was
afraid of any man. But somethin' about Cleve bluffed him. I don't
know what. Send Cleve out after Gulden. He'll call him face to face,
anywhere, an' beat him to a gun!... Take my word for it."

"Jesse, that's the grandest idea you ever had," said Kells, softly. His
eyes shone. The old power came back to his face. "I split on Gulden.
With him once out of the way--!"

"Boss, are you goin' to make thet Jim Cleve's second job?" inquired
Pearce, curiously.

"I am," replied Kells, with his jaw corded and stiff. "If he pulls thet
off you'll never hear a yap from me so long as I live. An' I'll eat out
of Cleve's hand."

Joan could bear to hear no more. She staggered to her bed and fell
there, all cramped as if in a cold vise. However Jim might meet the
situation planned for murdering Creede, she knew he would not shirk
facing Gulden with deadly intent. He hated Gulden because she had a
horror of him. Would these hours of suspense never end? Must she pass
from one torture to another until--?

Sleep did not come for a long time. And when it did she suffered with
nightmares from which it seemed she could never awaken.

The day, when at last it arrived, was no better than the night. It
wore on endlessly, and she who listened so intently found it one of the
silent days. Only Bate Wood remained at the cabin. He appeared kinder
than usual, but Joan did not want to talk. She ate her meals, and passed
the hours watching from the window and lying on the bed. Dusk brought
Kells and Pearce and Smith, but not Jim Cleve. Handy Oliver and Blicky
arrived at supper-time.

"Reckon Jim's appetite is pore," remarked Bate Wood, reflectively. "He
ain't been in to-day."

Some of the bandits laughed, but Kells had a