s, just as well as to your Legion," said
Gulden.

The effect of this was to make Gulden appear less of a fool than
Kells supposed him. The ruffians nodded to one another. They stirred
restlessly. They were animated by a strange and provocative influence.
Even Red Pearce and the others caught its subtlety. It was evil
predominating in evil hearts. Blood and death loomed like a shadow here.
The keen Kells saw the change working toward a transformation and he
seemed craftily fighting something within him that opposed this cold
ruthlessness of his men.

"Gulden, suppose I don't see it your way?" he asked.

"Then I won't join your Legion."

"What WILL you do?"

"I'll take the men who stand by me and go clean up that gold-camp."

From the fleeting expression on Kells's face Joan read that he knew
Gulden's project would defeat his own and render both enterprises fatal.

"Gulden, I don't want to lose you," he said.

"You won't lose me if you see this thing right," replied Gulden. "You've
got the brains to direct us. But, Kells, you're losing your nerve....
It's this girl you've got here!"

Gulden spoke without rancor or fear or feeling of any kind. He merely
spoke the truth. And it shook Kells with an almost ungovernable fury.

Joan saw the green glare of his eyes--his gray working face--the flutter
of his hand. She had an almost superhuman insight into the workings of
his mind. She knew that then--he was fighting whether or not to kill
Gulden on the spot. And she recognized that this was the time when Kells
must kill Gulden or from that moment see a gradual diminishing of his
power on the border. But Kells did not recognize that crucial height of
his career. His struggle with his fury and hate showed that the thing
uppermost in his mind was the need of conciliating Gulden and thus
regaining a hold over the men.

"Gulden, suppose we waive the question till we're on the grounds?" he
suggested.

"Waive nothing. It's one or the other with me," declared Gulden.

"Do you want to be leader of this Border Legion?" went on Kells,
deliberately.

"No."

"Then what do you want?"

Gulden appeared at a loss for an instant reply. "I want plenty to do,"
he replied, presently. "I want to be in on everything. I want to be free
to kill a man when I like."

"When you like!" retorted Kells, and added a curse. Then as if by magic
his dark face cleared and there was infinite depth and craftiness in
him. His opposition, and tha