napped, rising. "You wait! You in
too mooch hurry! You coom back--I have soomt'ing!"

Felipe turned back, wondering. The other nervously produced material for
a cigarette. Then he cleared his throat with needless protraction.

"Felipe," he began, evidently laboring under excitement, "I mek eet a
_bet_ now! I bet you," he went on, his voice trembling with
fervor--"I bet you my wagon, thee horses--thee whole
shutting-match--against thot wagon and horses yours, and thee
harness--thee whole damned shutting-match--thot I haf win!" He proceeded
to finish his cigarette.

Felipe stared at him hard. Surely his ears had deceived him! If they had
not deceived him, if, for a fact, the _hombre_ had expressed a
willingness to bet all he had on the outcome of this thing, then Franke,
fellow-townsman, _compadre_, brother-wood-hauler, was crazy! But he
determined to find out.

"What you said, Franke?" he asked, peering into the glowing eyes of the
other. "Say thot again, _hombre_!"

"I haf say," repeated the other, with lingering emphasis upon each
word--"I haf say I bet you everyt'ing--wagon, harness,
_caballos_--everyt'ing!--against thot wagon, harness,
_caballos_ yours--everyt'ing--thee whole shutting-match--thot I haf
win thee bet!"

Again Felipe lowered his eyes. But now to consider suspicions. He had
heard rightly; Franke really wanted to bet all he had. But he could not
but wonder whether Franke, by any possible chance, knew in advance the
outcome of the affair in the trail. He had heard of such things, though
never had he believed them possible. Yet he found himself troubled with
insistent reminder that Franke had suggested this whole thing. Then
suddenly he was gripped in another unwelcome thought. Could it be
possible that this scheming _hombre_, awaking at a time when he
himself was soundest asleep, had gone out into the trail on tiptoe for
advance information? It was possible. Why not? But that was not the
point exactly. The point was, had he done it? Had this buzzard circled
out into the trail while he himself was asleep? He did not know, and he
could not decide! For the third time in ten hours, though puzzled and
groping, trembling between gain and loss, he plunged on the gambler's
chance.

"All right!" he agreed, tensely. "I take thot bet! I bet you thees
wagon, thees _caballos_, thees harness--everyt'ing--against
everyt'ing yours--wagon, horses, harness--everyt'ing! Wait!" he
thundered, for the other now was st