id the penalty of your
act to the full satisfaction of the law. The very least you can do in
ordinary decency is to speak the truth now. It will not hurt you, but
it will lift me out of hell."

Murphy's eyes were cunning, treacherously shifting under the thatch of
his heavy brows; he was like an old rat seeking for any hole of refuge.
"Well--maybe I might. Anyhow, I'll go on--with ye. Kin I sit up? I
'm dog tired--lyin' yere."

"Unbuckle your belt, and throw that over first."

"I'm damned--if I will. Not--in no Injun--country."

"I know it's tough," retorted Hampton, with exasperating coolness, his
revolver's muzzle held steady; "but, just the same, it's got to be
done. I know you far too well to take chances on your gun. So
unlimber."

"Oh, I--guess not," and Murphy spat contemptuously. "Do ye think--I 'm
afeard o' yer--shootin'? Ye don't dare--fer I 'm no good ter ye--dead."

"You are perfectly right. You are quite a philosopher in your way.
You would be no good to me dead, Murphy, but you might prove fully as
valuable maimed. Now I 'm playing this game to the limit, and that
limit is just about reached. You unlimber before I count ten, you
murderer, or I 'll spoil both your hands!"

The mocking, sardonic grin deserted Murphy's features. It was sullen
obstinacy, not doubt of the other's purpose, that paralyzed him.

"Unlimber! It's the last call."

With a snarl the scout unclasped his army belt, dropped it to the
ground, and sullenly kicked it over toward Hampton. "Now--now--you,
you gray-eyed--devil, kin I--sit up?"

The other nodded. He had drawn the fangs of the wolf, and now that he
no longer feared, a sudden, unexplainable feeling of sympathy took
possession of him. Yet he drew farther away before slipping his own
gun into its sheath. For a time neither spoke, their eyes peering
across the ridge. Murphy sputtered and swore, but his victorious
companion neither spoke nor moved. There were several distant smokes
out to the northward now, evidently the answering signals of different
bands of savages, while far away, beneath the shadow of the low bluffs
bordering the stream, numerous black, moving dots began to show against
the light brown background. Hampton, noticing that Murphy had stopped
swearing to gaze, swung forward his field-glasses for a better view.

"They are Indians, right enough," he said, at last. "Here, take a
look, Murphy. I could count about twenty in that bunch,