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serpent…like； his eyes glittered； and his long neck and all
of his long length carried out the analogy of his name。
〃Snake； what's this here deal with Beasley？〃 inquired Jim。
〃Reckon you'll l'arn when I do；〃 replied the leader。 He
appeared tired and thoughtful。
〃Ain't we done away with enough of them poor greaser herders
for nothin'？〃 queried the youngest of the gang； a boy in
years； whose hard； bitter lips and hungry eyes somehow set
him apart from his comrades。
〃You're dead right； Burt an' that's my stand；〃 replied
the man who had sent Moze out。 〃Snake； snow 'll be flyin'
round these woods before long；〃 said Jim Wilson。 〃Are we
goin' to winter down in the Tonto Basin or over on the
Gila？〃
〃Reckon we'll do some tall ridin' before we strike south；〃
replied Snake； gruffly。
At the juncture Moze returned。
〃Boss； I heerd a hoss comin' up the trail；〃 he said。
Snake rose and stood at the door； listening。 Outside the
wind moaned fitfully and scattering raindrops pattered upon
the cabin。
〃A…huh！〃 exclaimed Snake； in relief。
Silence ensued then for a moment； at the end of which
interval Dale heard a rapid clip…clop on the rocky trail
outside。 The men below shuffled uneasily； but none of the
spoke。 The fire cracked cheerily。 Snake Anson stepped back
from before the door with an action that expressed both
doubt and caution。
The trotting horse had halted out there somewhere。
〃Ho there； inside！〃 called a voice from the darkness。
〃Ho yourself！〃 replied Anson。
〃That you； Snake？〃 quickly followed the query。
〃Reckon so；〃 returned Anson； showing himself。
The newcomer entered。 He was a large man； wearing a slicker
that shone wet in the firelight。 His sombrero； pulled well
down； shadowed his face； so that the upper half of his
features might as well have been masked。 He had a black；
drooping mustache； and a chin like a rock。 A potential
force； matured and powerful； seemed to be wrapped in his
movements。
〃Hullo； Snake！ Hullo； Wilson！〃 he said。 〃I've backed out on
the other deal。 Sent for you on on another little matter
。。。 particular private。〃
Here he indicated with a significant gesture that Snake's
men were to leave the cabin。
〃A…huh！ ejaculated Anson； dubiously。 Then he turned
abruptly。 Moze； you an' Shady an' Burt go wait outside。
Reckon this ain't the deal I expected。。。。 An' you can saddle
the hosses。〃
The three members of the gang filed out； all glancing keenly
at the stranger； who had moved back into the shadow。
〃All right now； Beasley；〃 said Anson； low…voiced。 〃What's
your game？ Jim； here； is in on my deals。〃
Then Beasley came forward to the fire； stretching his hands
to the blaze。
〃Nothin' to do with sheep；〃 replied he。
〃Wal； I reckoned not；〃 assented the other。 〃An' say
whatever your game is； I ain't likin' the way you kept me
waitin' an' ridin' around。 We waited near all day at Big
Spring。 Then thet greaser rode up an' sent us here。 We're a
long way from camp with no grub an' no blankets〃
〃I won't keep you long；〃 said Beasley。 〃But even if I did
you'd not mind when I tell you this deal concerns Al
Auchincloss the man who made an outlaw of you！〃
Anson's sudden action then seemed a leap of his whole frame。
Wilson； likewise； bent forward eagerly。 Beasley glanced at
the door then began to whisper。
〃Old Auchincloss is on his last legs。 He's goin' to croak。
He's sent back to Missouri for a niece a young girl
an' he means to leave his ranches an' sheep all his stock
to her。 Seems he has no one else。 。 。 。 Them ranches an'
all them sheep an' hosses！ You know me an' Al were pardners
in sheep…raisin' for years。 He swore I cheated him an' he
threw me out。 An' all these years I've been swearin' he did
me dirt owed me sheep an' money。 I've got as many friends
in Pine an' all the way down the trail as Auchincloss
has。 。 。 。 An' Snake； see here 〃
He paused to draw a deep breath and his big hands trembled
over the blaze。 Anson leaned forward； like a serpent ready
to strike； and Jim Wilson was as tense with his divination
of the plot at hand。
〃See here；〃 panted Beasley。 〃The girl's due to arrive at
Magdalena on the sixteenth。 That's a week from to…morrow。
She'll take the stage to Snowdrop； where some of
Auchincloss's men will meet her with a team。〃
〃A…huh！〃 grunted Anson as Beasley halted again。 〃An' what of
all thet？〃
〃She mustn't never get as far as Snowdrop！〃
〃You want me to hold up the stage an' get the girl？〃
〃Exactly。〃
〃Wal an' what then？
Make off with her。 。 。 。 She disappears。 That's your affair。
。 。 。 I'll press my claims on Auchincloss hound him
an' be ready when he croaks to take over his property。 Then
the girl can come back； for all I care。 。 。 。 You an' Wilson
fix up the deal between you。 If you have to let the gang in
on it don't give them any hunch as to who an' what。 This 'll
make you a rich stake。 An' providin'； when it's paid； you
strike for new territory。〃
〃Thet might be wise；〃 muttered Snake Anson。 〃Beasley； the
weak point in your game is the uncertainty of life。 Old Al
is tough。 He may fool you。〃
〃Auchincloss is a dyin' man；〃 declared Beasley； with such
positiveness that it could not be doubted。
〃Wal； he sure wasn't plumb hearty when I last seen him。 。 。
。 Beasley； in case I play your game how'm I to know that
girl？〃
〃Her name's Helen Rayner；〃 replied Beasley； eagerly。 〃She's
twenty years old。 All of them Auchinclosses was handsome an'
they say she's the handsomest。〃
〃A…huh！ 。 。 。 Beasley； this 's sure a bigger deal an' one
I ain't fancyin'。 。 。 。 But I never doubted your word。 。 。 。
Come on an' talk out。 What's in it for me？〃
〃Don't let any one in on this。 You two can hold up the
stage。 Why； it was never held up。 。 。 。 But you want to
mask。 。 。 。 How about ten thousand sheep or what they
bring at Phenix in gold？〃
Jim Wilson whistled low。
〃An' leave for new territory？〃 repeated Snake Anson； under
his breath。
〃You've said it。〃
〃Wal； I ain't fancyin' the girl end of this deal； but you
can count on me。 。 。 。 September sixteenth at Magdalena
an' her name's Helen an' she's handsome？〃
〃Yes。 My herders will begin drivin' south in about two
weeks。 Later； if the weather holds good； send me word by one
of them an' I'll meet you。〃
Beasley spread his hands once more over the blaze； pulled on
his gloves and pulled down his sombrero； and with an abrupt
word of parting strode out into the night。
〃Jim； what do you make of him？〃 queried Snake Anson。
〃Pard； he's got us beat two ways for Sunday；〃 replied
Wilson。
〃A…huh！ 。 。 。 Wal； let's get back to camp。〃 And he led the
way out。
Low voices drifted into the cabin； then came snorts of
horses and striking hoofs； and after that a steady trot；
gradually ceasing。 Once more the moan of wind and soft
patter of rain filled the forest stillness。
CHAPTER II
Milt Dale quietly sat up to gaze； with thoughtful eyes； into
the gloom。
He was thirty years old。 As a boy of fourteen he had run off
from his school and home in Iowa and； joining a wagon…train
of pioneers； he was one of