you.
I repeat that I'm not in the vigilance service; I'm not a policeman. I
may tell you, however, that I knew your evil reputation before I
engaged you to take charge of my outfit. I trusted you, Nick, and you
did not betray my trust. You acted straight--you and your men
alike--and every cent of the amount I've just handed to you is well
deserved and honestly earned."

"You trusted me--you trusted the lot of us--knowin' we was low-down
roosters that wouldn't think twice of killin' a man for the sake of his
goods? That wasn't just wise, Kiddie. We might ha' bin springin' a
trap on you. Why, the traveller you referred to--him as were left
senseless on the trail--hadn't more'n the value of ten dollars on him
all told. He'd only a nickel watch, his knife, a pistol as wouldn't
shoot, an' a broken-winded cayuse that was hardly worth taking away.
And you gave us the chance to make off with the whole of your valu'ble
outfit! It wasn't wise. It wasn't safe."

"Then you guessed it was of value?" Kiddie questioned.

"Value? Well, I didn't on'y guess; I knew. We'd gotten word of it
days an' days 'fore it came along. So had the Redskins. But we didn't
cotton to the Injuns gettin' in front of us, see? We didn't have th'
ambition of seein' Broken Feather collar the boodle."

"Eh?" Kiddie looked across with level, penetrating eyes. "In front of
you? Then you admit that you had plans of your own?"

Nick Undrell was filling his pipe, ramming the tobacco in with nervous
vigour.

"Don't make too sure, Lord Saint Olave," he retorted calmly. "Speakin'
fer myself, I were ready to guard your property with me life, for the
sake of who you are--the son of Buckskin Jack. An' when you comes up,
trustin' me right down to the dust, an' requestin' me ter make up a
armed escort, well, I reckon I was plumb on the job, an' didn't look
fer no extravagant reward like this." He indicated the bundle of bank
notes.

"But there were other plans," insisted Kiddie. "You'd planned to rob
me on your own account. Don't deny it. Be candid. I'm wantin' to
understand your position and your character."

Nick stared at him, but could not bear for long the searching
expression in Kiddie's clear eyes. He lowered his own.

"Thar's no bluffing a player like you, Kiddie," he said. "You've
called my hand. I gotter show up. You's correct. Thar was sure
another plan. But we wasn't figurin' t' attack you on the trail, same
as th' Inju