eader, without even glancing in his direction, "I
generally know what's goin' on in the bad lands, an' out of 'em fer a
ways. Mighty good lookin', they say." No answer from Purdy, and a deal
or two went by. Again Grimshaw tossed away his cards: "Ain't she good
lookin', Purdy?"

Purdy scowled: "Well, what if she is? What you drivin' at? If you got
somethin' to say, why the hell don't you say it?"

Grimshaw cleared his throat: "They ain't never no good comes from mixin'
up with women--in our business. If they're good women they ain't goin'
to have no truck with such as us, nohow--an' if they ain't, they'll
double-cross you sure as hell sometime or other. I've read where most of
the crooks an' outlaws that's caught, is caught 'cause they was stuck on
some woman--either the woman double-crossed 'em, or the sheriffs or
officers watches the woman, an' nabs the man when he goes to see her.
'Twas a woman got Billy the Kid caught--an' I could name some more right
here in Montana."

"Guess ridin' over to git McWhorter to fetch me out some tobacco from
town ain't goin' to hurt none."

"No. Only McWhorter won't be goin' to town till after lambin', an' it
looks like he could remember tobacco with one tellin', instead of six in
ten days."

Purdy's anger flared up: "Keep pretty close cases, don't you? Whose
business is it if I was over there sixteen times? I ain't in jail, am
I?"

"No--not yet, you ain't." Grimshaw's voice was low and hard. The game
had ceased, and the four others were watching the two. "An', by the way
things is framin', I don't expect you'll ever git there." There was
something ominous in the man's words, and Purdy shifted uncomfortably.

"I didn't s'pose it mattered what a man done--between jobs," he
muttered.

"It don't--so long as he leaves women alone, an' don't do nothin' that
puts this gang in bad."

"I never told her nothin' about the gang. I ain't goin' to marry her."

"I know damned well you ain't. She despises you because yer a
horse-thief." Grimshaw's voice suddenly dropped lower, "an', if she
know'd what I know--an' what all Wolf River knows she'd know that yer
horse-thievin' is the best thing about you."

Purdy laughed nastily: "Cinnabar Joe spilled a mouthful, did he? I fell
down on that job--maybe I'll have better luck, next time."

Grimshaw nodded: "Mebbe you will. But, McWhorter's like Cinnabar Joe,
an' all the rest that's friends of mine--he's safe, an' his stock's
safe, an' By God,