e herders too, although they were
unarmed. Once or twice he glanced at that long, ungainly figure in the
grass with the handkerchief of Andy Green hiding the face except where
a corner, fluttering in the faint breeze which came creeping out of the
west, lifted now and then and gave a glimpse of sunbrowned throat and a
quiet chin and mouth.

"Quit that blubbering, Oleson, and listen here." Andys voice broke
relentlessly upon the other's woe. "All these boys want to hang yuh
without any red tape; far as I'm concerned, I'm dead willing. But we're
going to give yuh a chance. Your partner, as we told yuh coming over,
we've got the dead immortal cinch on, right now. And--well you can see
what you're up against. But we'll give yuh a chance. Have you got any
family?"

Oleson, trying to pull himself together, shook his head.

"Well, then, you can get rid of them sheep, can't yuh? Sell 'em, ship
'em outa here--we don't give a darn what yuh do, only so yuh get 'em off
the range."

"Y-yes, I'll do that." Oleson's consent was reluctant, but it was fairly
prompt. "I'll get rid of the sheep," he said, as if he was minded to
clinch the promise. "I'll do it at once."

"That's nice." Andy spoke with grim irony. "And you'll get rid of the
ranch, too. You'll sell it to the Flying U--cheap."

"But my partner--Whittaker might object--"

"Look here, old-timer. You'll fix that part up; you'll find a way
of fixing it. Look here--at what you're up against." He waited, with
pointing finger, for one terrible minute. "Will you sell to the Flying
U?"

"Y-yes!" The word was really a gulp. He tried to avoid looking where
Andy pointed; failed, and shuddered at what he saw.

"I thought you would. We'll get that in writing. And we're going to wait
just exactly twenty-four hours before we make a move. It'll take some
fine work, but we'll do it. Our boss, here, will fix up the business end
with you. He'll go with yuh right now, and stay with yuh till you
make good. And the first crooked move you make--" Andy, in unconscious
imitation of the Native Son, shrugged a shoulder expressively and urged
Weary by a glance to take the leadership.

"Irish, you come with me. The rest of you fellows know about what to
do. Andy, I guess you'll have to ride point till I get back." Weary
hesitated, looked from Happy Jack to Oleson and the herders, and back
to the sober faces of his fellows. "Do what you can for him, boys--and I
wish one of you would ride over,