half-breed's eyes. The man's retort came roughly enough now.

"What in----!" he cried. Then again he checked his fiery impulse.
"Say, that ain't no darn bizness of any one but me. Get me? It's a
fool question anyway. Ther's a dozen posts I could haul from. My
bizness ain't your bizness. I stand pat fer why I traipsed nigh two
miles to reach your darn fool camp. I handed you the trouble waitin'
around if you ain't wise. I guess you're wise now, an' if you don't
act quick it's up to you. If you've the savvee of a buck louse you'll
beat it good an' quick. You'll beat it as if the devil was chasin' you
plenty."

Then it seemed as if urgency overcame his resentment, for he went on
with a sort of desperate eagerness. "Say, I ain't got your names, I
don't know a thing. I ain't no interest if you're alive, or hacked to
small chunks. But if you got any value fer your lives, if you've got
folks to worry fer you, why, git right out o' this just as fast as the
devil'll let you. That's all."

"Thanks--we will." Kars had suddenly abandoned all his previous
assurance of manner. He seemed to be laboring under the influence of
the warning. "Guess we're kind of obliged to you. More than I can
say. Maybe you won't take amiss the things I asked. You see, finding
a white man in this region seemed sort of queer since they murdered
Allan Mowbray. I just had to ask." He turned to Bill, who was
watching him curiously. "We'll strike camp right away. Guess we best
get out west if the neches are southeast. Seems to me we're in a bad
fix anyway." Then he turned again to the half-breed. "Maybe you'll
stop around and take food? We'll eat before we strike."

Kars' changed attitude seemed to please the half-breed. But he shook
his head with a smile that only rendered his expression the more crafty.

"Nothin' doin' that way," he said decidedly. "Gee, no!" Then he added
confidentially: "I come two miles to give you warnin'. That's straight
across as the birds fly. I made nearer five gettin' here. Maybe
you'll get that when I tell you these devils have eyes everywhere.
Since they shot up Allan Mowbray I'm scared. Scared to death. I've
taken a big chance coming around. I ain't makin' it bigger stoppin' to
feed. An' if you'll take white advice you won't neither. Jest get to
it an' set all the darnation territory you ken find between you an'
Bell River before to-morrow. I quit. So long. I've handed you
warning