than I that you never pulled one for the looks of the
thing or to make people talk--or that you ever took a chance you
didn't feel you had to take. But, it isn't humanly possible you can
keep this up for all time; it _can't_ go on forever. The pitcher goes
to the well once too often, Henry; there comes a time when it doesn't
come back.

"Understand--I'm not saying this to attempt to dissuade you from the
worst job you ever started in on. I know your mind is made up. You
won't listen to me; you won't listen to Scott; and I'm too good an
Indian not to know where I get off, or not to do what I'm told. But
this is what I have been thinking of a long, long time; and this is
what I feel I ought to say, here and now."

The two men were sitting in de Spain's room. De Spain was staring
through the broad south window at the white-capped peaks of the
distant range. He was silent for a time. "I believe you're right,
John," he said after a while. "I know you are. In this case I am tied
up more than I've ever been tied before; but I've got to see it
through as best I can, and take what comes without whining. My mind is
made up and, strange as it may sound to you, I feel that I _am_ coming
back. Not but what I know it's due me, John. Not but what I expect to
get it sometime. And maybe I'm wrong now; but I don't feel as if it's
coming till I've given all the protection to that girl that a man can
give to a woman."

CHAPTER XXV

A SURPRISING SLIP

Scott was called by Lefever to conclude in secret the final
arrangements. The ground about the quaking asp grove, and nearest El
Capitan, afforded the best concealment close to the Gap. And to this
point Scott was directed to bring what men he could before daybreak
the following morning.

"It's a short notice to get many men together--of the kind we want,"
admitted Lefever. "You'll have to skirmish some between now and
midnight. What do you think you can do?"

Scott had already made up a tentative list. He named four: first,
Farrell Kennedy, who was in town, and said nobody should go if he
didn't; Frank Elpaso, the Texan; the Englishman, Tommie Meggeson; and
Wickwire, if he could be located--any one of them, Lefever knew, could
give an account of himself under all circumstances.

While Scott was getting his men together, de Spain, accompanied by
Lefever, was riding toward Music Mountain. Scott had urged on them but
one parting caution--not to leave the aspens until rain bega