ere," answered the Englishman; "but from what I've
heard of the road, at the place where I stayed last night, I don't like
to go on without a guide and daylight--though I would much prefer to
push on to-night if it were possible."

"Wall, stranger, whether possible or not," returned the cow-boy, "it's
an ugly place to go past, for there's a gang o' cut-throats there that's
kep' the country fizzin' like ginger-beer for some time past. A man
that's got to go past Traitor's Trap should go by like a greased
thunderbolt, an' he should never go alone."

"Is it, then, such a dangerous place?" asked the Englishman, with a
smile that seemed to say he thought his informant was exaggerating.

"Dangerous!" exclaimed the cow-boy. "Ay, an will be as long as Buck Tom
an' his boys are unhung. Why, stranger, I'd get my life insured, you
bet, before I'd go thar again--except with a big crowd o' men. It was
along in June last year I went up that way; there was nobody to go with
me, an' I was forced to do it by myself--for I _had_ to go--so I spunked
up, saddled Bluefire, an' sloped. I got on lovely till I came to a pass
just on t'other side o' Traitor's Trap, when I began to cheer up,
thinkin' I'd got off square; but I hadn't gone another hundred yards
when up starts Buck Tom an' his men with `hands up.' I went head down
flat on my saddle instead, I was so riled. Bang went a six-shooter, an'
the ball just combed my back hair. I suppose Buck was so took by
surprise at a single man darin' to disobey his orders that he missed.
Anyhow I socked spurs into Bluefire, an' made a break for the open
country ahead. They made after me like locomotives wi' the
safety-valves blocked, but Bluefire was more'n a match for 'em. They
kep' blazin' away all the time too, but never touched me, though I heard
the balls whistlin' past for a good while. Bluefire an' me went, you
bet, like a nor'-easter in a passion, an' at last they gave it up. No,
stranger, take my advice an' don't go past Traitor's Trap alone. I
wouldn't go there at all if I could help it."

"I don't intend to go past it. I mean to go _into_ it," said the
Englishman, with a short laugh, as he laid down his knife and fork,
having finished his slight meal; "and, as I cannot get a guide, I shall
be forced to go alone."

"Stranger," said the cow-boy in surprise, "d'ye want to meet wi' Buck
Tom?"

"Not particularly."

"An' are ye aware that Buck Tom is one o' the most hardened,