he
saw that the years had brought a change in the man. He had been a tall,
bold, reckless-looking youth then, with a certain wild waywardness in
his manner that might have destroyed him, had he yielded to it. Now he
was cold, calm, deliberate, imperturbable. The recklessness had
disappeared from his eyes; they were now aglow with quiet determination.
The waywardness had gone--ironlike resolution marked his manner.

And yet behind it all, Antrim could see the threat of those youthful
passions; the lurking eagerness for violent action; the hint of
preparedness, of readiness.

Antrim was startled, uneasy. He saw now that he should not have left his
men; that he had made a mistake in coming alone to meet Lawler.

He was certain of it now, when he heard Lawler's voice, saw the cold,
smiling light in his eyes.

"You're wanting my cattle, Antrim. Your men have been trailing me for
two weeks. You don't get them. You've got thirty-nine men, and there are
only twenty-three Circle L men over there. I'm not getting any of them
killed. This thing is between you and myself. Get your hand away from
your gun or I'll bore you!"

He moved his hand--where it had been--seemingly--lying on Red King's
neck, under the mane; and Antrim saw the dark muzzle of a pistol showing
in the hand.

"I'm not taking any chances, Antrim--you can see that. I'm not going to
take any. If you do anything to attract the attention of your men, I'll
kill you. Drop your guns, using your thumbs and forefingers." He
waited, watching keenly, until the outlaw had complied with the demand,
the two big pistols thudding dully into the sand beside his horse.

Then Lawler resumed, his voice low and even, as before:

"Now we're riding back to the fire, Antrim. Listen hard, for this means
life or death to you.

"We're going back to the fire. You're going to act as though nothing had
happened; and you are to tell your men that you have changed your mind
about the cattle--you are to tell them that you are going with me to Red
Rock; and you are sending them back to where you came from, to wait for
you."

Antrim stiffened, and his face bloated poisonously. But he did not
answer, for there was that in Lawler's eyes that convinced him of the
futility of attempting resistance.

"You're going to Red Rock with me," went on Lawler. "I'm going to be
personally responsible for you. I'm going to watch you; you're going to
ride ahead of me. If you talk, or make any motion th