asm in this last brought a dark red into Duncan's
face, but he successfully concealed his resentment and smiled.

"That's all right," he said; "I've got more than that coming from you. I'm
telling you about what he done to me if you ain't got any objections to me
getting off my horse."

"Tell me from where you are." In spite of the coldness in the nester's
voice there was interest in his eyes. "Mebbe you an' him have had a
fallin' out, but I ain't takin' any chances on you bein' my friend--not a
durned chance."

"That's right. I don't blame you for not wanting to take a chance, and I'm
not pretending to be your friend. And I sure ain't any friendly to
Langford. He's double crossed me, but I ain't telling how he done
it--that's between him and me. But I want to tell you something that will
interest you a whole lot. It's about some guy which is trying to double
cross you. To prove that I ain't thinking to plug you when you ain't
looking I'm leaving my gun here." He drew out his six-shooter and stuck it
behind his slicker, dismounted, and threw the reins over the pony's head.

In silence Doubler suffered him to approach, though he kept his rifle
ready in his hand and his eyes still continued to wear a belligerent
expression.

"You and me ain't been what you might call friendly for a long time,"
offered Duncan when he had halted a few feet from Doubler. "We've had
words, but I've never tried to take any mean advantage of you--which I
might have done if I'd wanted to." He smiled ingratiatingly.

"We ain't goin' to go over what's happened between us," declared Doubler
coldly. "We're lettin' that go by. If you'll stick to the palaver that you
spoke about mebbe we'll be able to git along for a minute or two.
Meanwhile, you'll excuse me if I keep this here gun in shape for you if
you try any monkey business."

Duncan masked his dislike of Doubler under a deprecatory smile. "That's
right," he agreed. "We'll let what's happened pass without talking about
it. What's between us now is something different. I've never pretended to
be your friend, and I'm not pretending to be your friend now. But I've
always been square with you, and I'm square now. Can you say that about
him?" He jerked his thumb in the direction of the river trail, on which
Dakota had vanished some time before.

"Him?" inquired Doubler. "You mean Dakota?" He caught Duncan's nod and
smiled slowly. "I reckon you're some off your range," he said. "There
ain't n