h calls it, is settling in my heart."

"Well, where will you go?" he asked bewilderedly.

"Somewhere--to some village or little farm, where we can raise poultry,
mother and I."

"But I haven't planned it that way," Slavens smiled. "If you leave, what
am I going to do?"

"I don't know," she acknowledged, "unless--unless you come some time."

"Look here, Agnes," said he, taking the matter entirely in hand. "When
we leave this place, we'll leave together. I've arranged that all in my
mind and intention. It's all disposed of and settled. Here comes Boyle
now, I think."

Boyle left his horse standing a few rods distant and came over to where
they sat.

"You look comfortable," he commented, as serene and unperturbed as if
the load of one more human life on his soul were a matter too light to
be felt with inconvenience.

"Very comfortable," answered Slavens, rising stiffly. "We have nothing
on our hands that common water will not wash off."

"Oh, that nut!" depreciated Boyle. "He'd talked around for a year or two
about getting me. I only beat him to it when he tried; that's all."

"But there was another occasion--another attempt that didn't turn out
quite like you intended," said Slavens. "Do you remember me?"

"Yes; you're the tin-horn doctor that held a man up in Comanche and
stole the coat off of his back," Boyle retorted with easy insolence.

Agnes looked at the doctor imploringly, plainly begging him not to
provoke Boyle to another outbreak of violence. She was standing beside
him, the fear and loathing which Boyle's presence aroused undisguised in
her frank face.

"It was an outrage against one of the honest men who tried to murder
me," said the doctor. "But, vicious as it was, neither Shanklin nor you,
his side-partner, has ever made a squeal. If it was a holdup, why
haven't you sent one of your little sheriffs out after me?"

"I'm no partner of Hun Shanklin's!" denied Boyle.

"Maybe you've parted company since the night you slugged me and nailed
me up in that box for the river to hide your work."

"I'll make you prove that charge!" threatened Boyle hotly.

"I can't prove it," admitted the doctor. "If I could, I'd have you in
court tomorrow. But you were one of them, and I want you to understand
fully that I know it, and will treat you accordingly in any private
dealings that may come up between you and me."

"If you keep spoutin' it around that I ever slugged you, I'll pull you
into court and make