ne'll make any trouble."

Joe's mind seemed to leap ahead of the story, and he made a very
pertinent question. "The white squaw. Maybe she'll tell?"

Harold glared at him. The man inferred that he couldn't master his own
woman. "Didn't you hear me say she was _my_ squaw? I'll tend to her.
Besides--the way I've got it planned, she won't know--at least she
won't understand. Now listen, you two, and don't make any mistake.
I've got to go back to the cabin now--try to be there before they wake
up. They're both tired out from a hard experience yesterday--and, as
I told you, Bill's as blind as a gopher.

"Both of you are to come to the cabin, just about dark. You'll tell me
you have been over Bald Peak way and are hitting back toward the Yuga
village. Bring along a quart of booze--firewater--and maybe two
quarts would be better. We'll have supper, and you'd better bring along
something in your pocket for yourselves. It will put the girl in a
better mood. And now--you see what you've got to do?"

Neither of them answered. They could guess--but they didn't conceive
of the real brilliancy of the plan.

"If you can't, you're dummies. It's just this"--and Harold's face
drew into an unlovely snarl--"sometime in the early evening give Bill
what's coming to him."

"Do him off----?" Joe asked stolidly.

"Stamp him out like I stamp this snow!" He paused, and the two breeds
leaned toward him, waiting for the next word. They were not phlegmatic
now. They were imbued with Harold's own passion, and their dark, savage
faces told the story. Their features were beginning to draw, even as
his; their eyes were lurid slits above the high cheek bones.

"Make it look like a fight," Harold went on. "Insult him--better
still, get in a quarrel among yourselves. He'll tell you to shut up,
and one of you flame up at him. Then strike the life out of him before
he knows what he's about. He's blind and he can't fight. Then go back
to my cabin and hide out."

"No food in cabin," Joe objected. "Get some from you?"

For a moment Harold was baffled. This was a singularly unfortunate
circumstance. But he soon saw the way out. "So you've used up the
supplies, eh? Got any booze----?"

"Still two bottles firewater----"

"Good. The trouble is that there's no food at Bill's cabin,
either--not enough to last a day. Bring what you have for your supper
to-night, or as much of it as you need--and after you're through with
Bi