ancing lay, lifted the huge head
from the dust, and tried to turn the giant over. A groan greeted the
attempt.

"Bill, open your eyes! Why would you not do as I wanted you to?" he
murmured bitterly to himself. A second groan answered him. Smith
called for water, and from a canteen drenched the pallid forehead,
talking softly meanwhile; but his efforts to restore consciousness
were unavailing. He turned to where two of the cowboys had dragged
Karg to the ground and three others had their old companion Seagrue in
hand. While two held huge revolvers within six inches of his head, the
third was adjusting a rope-knot under his ear.

Whispering Smith became interested. "Hold on!" said he mildly, "what
is loose? What are you going to do?"

"We're going to hang these fellows," answered Stormy, with a volley of
hair-raising imprecations.

"Oh, no! Just put them on horses under guard."

"That's what we're going to do," exclaimed the foreman. "Only we're
going to run 'em over to those cottonwoods and drive the horses out
from under 'em. Stand still, you tow-headed cow-thief!" he cried,
slipping the noose up tight on George Seagrue's neck.

"See here," returned Whispering Smith, showing some annoyance, "you
may be joking, but I am not. Either do as I tell you or release those
men."

"Well, I guess we are not joking very much. You heard me, didn't you?"
demanded Stormy angrily. "We are going to string these damned critters
up right here in the draw on the first tree."

Whispering Smith drew a pocket-knife and walked to Flat Nose, slit the
rope around his neck, pushed him out of the circle, and stood in
front of him. "You can't play horse with my prisoners," he said
curtly. "Get over here, Karg. Come, now, who is going to walk in
first? You act like a school-boy, Gorman."

Hard words and a wrangle followed, but Smith did not change
expression, and there was a backdown. "Have you fellows let Du Sang
get away while you were playing fool here?" he asked.

"Du Sang's over the hill there on his horse, and full of fight yet,"
exclaimed one.

"Then we will look him up," suggested Smith. "Come, Seagrue."

"Don't go over there. He'll get you if you do," cried Gorman.

"Let us see about that. Seagrue, you and Karg walk ahead. Don't duck
or run, either of you. Go on."

Just over the brow of the hill near which the fight had taken place, a
man lay below a ledge of granite. The horse from which he had fallen
was grazing close b