d all the facts before him. After listening
attentively to his explicit elucidation of the law in the case, and his
logical course of procedure in the premises, Douglass shook his head.

"That will take months of lawing and jawing and I want those stolen
cattle returned at once. It's got to be settled before I leave town, and
I won't consent to involving Carter in any long-drawn-out, expensive
litigation. There must be some way of settling it man to man. Will the
law protect a bill of sale made out to me or Red, here, if I win it in a
card game or force it out of him with a gun? That's what I want to
know."

The old practitioner chuckled at this ingenuous imputation of the law's
plasticity; his eyes twinkled in anticipation of the laugh he would
raise in chambers when he got a chance to spring that joke on his
dignified confreres. But his manner was gravity personified as he
earnestly assured this exceedingly straightforward young fellow that
much to his regret he would have to answer negatively.

"Even if you did get a sufficient and properly-drawn bill of sale out of
Coogan by either of the means you suggest, he could come back at you
with the 'baby act' and nullify the transfer by pleading no real
consideration and invoking the statute which declares gambling debts
noncollectible, in the first instance; and in the second, by setting up
the plea of unlawful stress and intimidation. In either case you would
lose out if he brought action."

"Supposin' he was daid an' couldn't get no action on hisself?"
interjected Red, softly.

The old lawyer, frontier-hardened as he was, started nervously. "You
surely don't contemplate any such--?"

"Any such what?" Red's face was a study in mild curiosity. "I was only
asking yuh a question."

The lawyer moistened his lips tentatively before replying. "That would
complicate matters very much--to all parties concerned. I hope,
gentlemen--"

"An' if thu bill o' sale was made out to me, an' I was to trade it off
to Ken, an' he was to tuhn it inter coin an' cache thu dough, what
then?" The drawling voice was a sinister purr and somehow the half-shut
eyes took on a feline expression. The lawyer suddenly achieved a new
interest in this inquisitive young man; he looked at him from under his
grizzled brows with professional appreciation.

"Why, you're a pretty fair shyster, yourself, Red," said Douglass
humorously; "that idea didn't occur to me. That could not possibly
involve Cart