't consider
Doubler's feelings. Well, I don't know but that's the way things are
run--one man keeps what he can and another gets what he is able to get.
What are you figuring to do about Doubler?"

Langford glanced at Dakota with an oily, significant smile. "I am new to
the country, my friend," he said. "I don't know anything about the usual
custom employed to force a man to give up his land. Could you suggest
anything?"

Dakota deliberately took up a wax-end, rolled it, and squinted his eyes as
he forced the end of the thread through the eye of the needle which he
held in the other hand. So far as Langford could see he exhibited no
emotion whatever; his face was inscrutable; he might not have heard.

Yet Langford knew that he had heard; was certain that he grasped the full
meaning of the question; probably felt some emotion over it, and was
masking it by appearing to busy himself with the saddle. Langford's
respect for him grew and he wisely kept silent, knowing that in time
Dakota would answer. But when the answer did come it was not the one that
Langford expected. Dakota's eyes met his in a level gaze.

"Why don't you shoot him yourself?" he said, drawling his words a little.

"Not taking any chances?" Dakota's voice was filled with a cold sarcasm as
he continued, after an interval during which Langford kept a discreetly
still tongue. "Your business principles don't take you quite that far, eh?
And so you've come over to get me to shoot him? Why didn't you say so in
the beginning--it would have saved all this time." He laughed coldly.

"What makes you think that you could hire me to put Doubler out of
business?"

"I saw you shoot Blanca," said Langford. "And I sounded Duncan." It did
not disturb him to discover that Dakota had all along been aware of the
object of his visit. It rather pleased him, in fact, to be given proof of
the man's discernment--it showed that he was deep and clever.

"You saw me shoot Blanca," said Dakota with a strange smile, "and Duncan
told you I was the man to put Doubler away. Those are my recommendations."
His voice was slightly ironical, almost concealing a slight harshness.
"Did Duncan mention that he was a friend of mine?" he asked. "No?" His
smile grew mocking. "Just merely mentioned that I was uncommonly clever in
the art of getting people--undesirable people--out of the way. Don't get
the idea, though, because Duncan told you, that I make a business of
shooting folks. I put B