lanca out of the way because it was a question of
him or me--I shot him to save my own hide. Shooting Doubler would be quite
another proposition. Still----" He looked at Langford, his eyes narrowing
and smoldering with a mysterious fire.

It seemed that he was inviting Langford to make a proposal, and the latter
smiled evilly. "Still," he said, repeating Dakota's word with a
significant inflection, "you don't refuse to listen to me. It would be
worth a thousand dollars to me to have Doubler out of the way," he added.

It was out now, and Langford sat silent while Dakota gazed into the
distance that reached toward the nester's cabin. Langford watched Dakota
closely, but there was an absolute lack of expression in the latter's
face.

"How are you offering to pay the thousand?" questioned Dakota. "And
when?"

"In cash, when Doubler isn't here any more."

Dakota looked up at him, his face a mask of immobility. "That _sounds_ all
right," he said, with slow emphasis. "I reckon you'll put it in writing?"

Langford's eyes narrowed; he smiled craftily. "That," he said smoothly,
"would put me in your power. I have never been accused of being a fool by
any of the men with whom I have done business. Don't you think that at my
age it is a little late to start?"

"I reckon we don't make any deal," laughed Dakota shortly.

"We'll arrange it this way," suggested Langford. "Doubler is not the only
man I want to get rid of. I want your land, too. But"--he added as he saw
Dakota's lips harden--"I don't purpose to proceed against you in the
manner I am dealing with Doubler. I flatter myself that I know men quite
well. I'd like to buy your land. What would be a fair price for it?"

"Five thousand."

"We'll put it this way, then," said Langford, briskly and silkily. "I will
give you an agreement worded in this manner: 'One month after date I
promise to pay to Dakota the sum of six thousand dollars, in consideration
of his rights and interest in the Star brand, provided that within one
month from date he persuades Ben Doubler to leave Union county.'" He
looked at Dakota with a significant smile. "You see," he said, "that I am
not particularly desirous of being instrumental in causing Doubler's
death--you have misjudged me."

Dakota's eyes met his with a glance of perfect knowledge. His smile
possessed a subtly mocking quality--which was slightly disconcerting to
Langford.

"I reckon you'll be an angel--give you time," he said. "