as though it had gained
fresh power from the fact of being freed of his weight, shot forward,
stopped again.

"Not exactly friends?" cried Terry, and he marked a new trembling in
her voice. "I should say not. You--you darned snake, you!"

And she was gone, spinning along into the night, hidden from him by the
first hill around whose base the road curved. He stared after her a
moment, shrugged, turned his back, and strode rapidly toward the Ranch
Number Ten corrals.

He had planned correctly; he had correctly measured Blenham's impulses
and desires. Further, he had come in time, just in time.

The light was in the ranch-house. Though but little after eleven
o'clock it was dark within the bunk-house, the men long ago asleep.
But Barbee was awake, his wits about him; his voice and Blenham's, both
quiet, met Steve's ears as he slipped about the corner of the house,
coming under the window where the light was.

Blenham was talking now. He sat loosely in a chair, his hands one upon
the other, idle in his lap. Barbee, his eyes narrowed and watchful,
stood at the far side of the room. On the floor, near his feet, was a
revolver; from its position Steve guessed that Barbee had just kicked
it safely out of Blenham's reach. Barbee's own gun was in the boy's
hand.

"You're a pretty foxy kid, Barbee," Blenham was saying tonelessly.
"You got the drop on me; you're the firs' man as ever did that little
trick. Yes; you're a pretty foxy kid!"

Barbee shrugged and spat and answered Blenham with a curse and a
grunted:

"Nobody's askin' your opinion, Blenham."

But Steve saw and Blenham must have seen the gleam of triumph in
Barbee's eye.

"What are you goin' to do with me?" asked Blenham presently.

"Nothin'," replied Barbee. "Jus' keep you where I got you until Steve
Packard comes back. Which ought to be mos' any time now."

"He'll be late," said Blenham. "He won't be here for two or three
hours. Suppose while we wait, let's me an' you talk!" he said sharply,
sitting forward in his chair.

"Well?" said Barbee. "Talk an' be damned to you, Blenham. Only you
don't talk yourself out'n the hole you're in right now. An', I promise
you, you make a quick jump for a get-away, an' I'll shoot you dead."

"I know," Blenham nodded. "You'd do it. But I ain't goin' to try any
fool thing like that. I'm jus' goin'-- Like I said to you, let's
talk. What's Packard payin' you for this night's work?"

"He's no tightw