hink you would like to go to El Paso
to-morrow?"

Wellesly looked him squarely in the eye and replied: "I have no
business in El Paso and do not care to go there."

An ugly look came into Haney's face, and Wellesly saw that his captors
were ready to throw off all pretense and take extreme measures.

"Well," said Haney; "this is what we've decided to do. We'll give you
till to-morrow morning to make up your mind whether you'll go to El
Paso and give us ten thousand dollars apiece for taking you there. If
you don't want to get away that bad, that big rock will roll down into
this canyon and shut up that outlet and you will stay 'ere and starve.
We are going to leave you 'ere alone to-day to think the matter over,
and we are going to tie you fast to that big tree, so you won't 'ave
anything to distract your attention. We'll be back to-night and then
you can 'ave your supper and I 'ope we'll find you in a reasonable
frame of mind."

Jim approached with a picket rope, and Wellesly whitened with anger.
For a moment, earth and sky turned black before him, and before he
realized what he was doing he had hit Jim a smashing blow in the jaw.
Jim staggered backward, and then, with a howling oath, whipped out and
leveled his revolver. Haney, who had grabbed one of Wellesly's wrists
and was struggling to keep it in his grasp, jumped between them and
shouted in a tone of command: "Don't shoot, Jim, don't shoot! You'll
spoil the whole game if you kill 'im!"

Jim lowered his revolver sullenly and vented his anger in vile
epithets instead of bullets.

"'Ere, stop your swearing and grab that arm," said Haney. "You can't
blame the man for kicking. You or me would do the same thing in 'is
place. Now push 'im up against this pine tree and 'and me the rope.
I'm sorry we 'ave to treat you this way, Mr. Wellesly, but if you
won't be reasonable it's the only thing we can do."

Wellesly struggled at first, but he soon realized that they were much
the stronger and wasted no more strength in useless resistance, though
grinding his teeth with rage. They tied his arms to his body, and
then, standing him upright, bound him close against the tree. They
stepped back and Jim shook his fist at the captive.

"I'll get even with you yet," he shouted, "for the way you took me in
the jaw! If you ain't ready to do what we want to-morrow morning you
won't get a chance to starve, you hear me shout! I'll wait till then,
but I won't wait no longer!"

"