where's else, ain't nobody's business.
Nobody's, that is, but Purdy's. He made his brag in the hang-out one
night that when the time come, he'd tap Cinnabar fer his pile----"

"The damned dirty hound!"

"That's sayin' it ladylike," grinned the outlaw, "I told him Cinnabar
was a friend of mine an' he was to keep off him, but Purdy, he's plumb
disregardful of advice. Anyways, the woman's safe. Purdy's figurin' on
leavin' her there while he dickers fer the reward."

The Texan rose to his feet: "Where did you say I'd find Purdy?" he
asked. The other consulted his watch. "It's nine-thirty. At noon he'll
be at the water hole, four mile north of the hang-out. Up till then
they ain't no hurry. We'll plant _him_ first, an' then I'll go along--me
an' Bill Harlow----"

The Texan shook his head: "No Cass, this is my job. It's a long score
I've got to settle with Purdy--startin' back a year. It leads off with a
cut cinch. Then, there was the booze that Cinnabar Joe doped----"

"Cinnabar?"

"Yeh, when he was tendin' bar. I can see through it, now--since you told
about Purdy havin' somethin' on him. Purdy got him to do it----"

"I don't believe Cinnabar'd of done that no matter what Purdy had on
him."

"But he did, though. Then he switched the glasses, an' drunk it
himself----"

"Some man!"

"I'll tell a hand! An' that same night Purdy took the pilgrim's girl out
on the bench, an' dragged her off her horse----"

"I heard about it."

"An' then, yesterday, he found her unconscious there by the river." The
Texan paused and when he continued his voice was low. "An' you know, an'
I know what would have happened, if Long Bill hadn't showed up with
those bills--an' then signin' my name to that letter to the pilgrim
demandin' five thousan' dollars--an' last of all I owe him one for
ridin' Cinnabar the way he's doin--I ain't forgot those switched
drinks."

Cass Grimshaw nodded: "Quite a score to settle, take it first an' last,"
he paused, and the Texan noticed a peculiar twinkle in his eye.

"What's the joke?" he asked.

"There ain't no joke about it--only I was thinkin', mebbe you'd left out
somethin'."

"Left out somethin'?"

"Yeh. What you think would of happened, an' what would of happened out
here in the bad lands, if Long Bill hadn't come along is two different
things. I was trailin' Purdy from the time he hit the bad lands with the
girl. I wanted to find out what his game was an' when he run onto Long
Bill I snuc