phere, watched him curiously.

"Lookin' fer a right smart fight, I reckon," he said, a trifle
uneasily. "Believe me, yer ain't goin' ter find thet fellar no spring
chicken. He 's some on ther gun play."

"I hope he knows enough to quit when he 's cornered," returned the
other pleasantly, sweeping his eyes to the opening in the hills, "for I
'm aiming to take him back to Kansas alive."

"The hell ye are!"

"That 's the plan, pardner, and I 've got reason for it. I knew Le
Fevre once, years ago, during the war, and I 've been some anxious to
get my hands on him ever since. He 's worth far more to me alive than
dead, just now, and, Hughes," his voice hardening, "you 'll bear that
fact in mind when the fracas begins. From now on this is my affair,
not yours. You understand? You get busy with the two bucks, and leave
the white man to me. Come on now,--dismount."

Hughes came to the ground with evident reluctance, swearing savagely.

"What do yer think I 'm yere for," he demanded roughly, "if it wa'n't
to shoot that cuss?"

Hamlin strode swiftly over, and dropped a hand on the shaggy shoulder.

"You are here because I ordered you to come with me; because if you
hadn't I would have killed you back there in the shack, you red-handed
murderer. Now listen, Hughes. I know what you are--a cattle thief.
You and Le Fevre belong to the same outfit, only he was the smarter of
the two. I have spared your life for a purpose, and if you fail me now
I 'll shoot you down as I would a dog. Don't try to threaten me, you
cur, for I am not that kind. I am not trusting you; I have n't from
the first, but you are going into this fight on my side, and under my
orders."

The two men glared into each other's eyes, silent, breathing hard, but
there was a grim determination about the Sergeant's set jaw that left
Hughes speechless. He grinned weakly, stamping down the snow under
foot. Hamlin's continued silence brought a protest to his lips.

"Damn if I know why you say that," he began. "Haven't I been square?"

"Because I know your style, Hughes. You hate Le Fevre for the dirty
trick he played on you, but you 'd sell out to him again in five
minutes if you thought there was any money in it. I don't propose
giving you the chance. You 'll go ahead, and you are in more danger
from me than that outfit yonder. Now move, and we 'll take a look up
the valley."

They ploughed a way through the drifts to the mouth of the narro