ad, if that's what you're drivin' at. I'd of done
to-night's job an' glad of the chance an' you know it, Blenham, an'
never asked pay for it. But I'm drawin' down a whole month's pay
extra, if I've got you like you are when he comes in."

Blenham laughed softly. Then he moved the hands resting in his lap.
Packard saw that they were folded loosely about an old leather wallet.

"He's sure payin' you generous, Barbee," jeered Blenham. "You know it!
Why, look here: This is yours an' more to trail it if you jus' pocket
your gun an' let me go! I ain't askin' much an' I'm payin' my way.
Look it over, kid!"

Packard saw how he stripped a bank-note from a thin sheaf of its
fellows; how he tossed it toward Barbee. It fell to the floor; a
little draft set it drifting; Blenham set his foot upon it.

"Look at it!" he snapped, for the first time giving sign of the strain
he was laboring under. "It's yours--if you ain't a fool."

Barbee, not to be tricked were this some ruse to snare his attention,
said crisply:

"Put you' han's up while I get it!"

Blenham obeyed; Barbee stooped swiftly, all the while with eyes riveted
on his prisoner. Then, the muzzle of his gun raised another inch, he
looked at what he held. When he looked back at Blenham his eyes were
round, his mouth stood a little open.

"My God!" he gasped. "It's a thousan' dollars!"

"Yes," said Blenham quietly. "It's a thousan' dollars. That's quite a
little wad, Barbee; it's more, anyhow, than an extra month's wages,
ain't it? An' it's yours if you want it! Think of the times you can
go on, think of the way you could make Red Creek open its eyes! An'
there's more to come if you take that an' let me go an' jus' watch my
play an' take a chance with me when I say so. What's the word, Barbee?"

Packard, having held back thus long, remained motionless, glimpsing
unexpectedly something of Barbee's soul; watching a little human drama,
become spectator to the battle royal of the two contending factions
which made up a man's self.

It seemed to him that young Barbee was pale and grew paler; that a
shiver ran through him; that he was, for the moment, like one drugged.
And, side by side, two emotions, both primal and unmistakable, peered
out of his eyes: a savage hatred of Blenham, a leaping greed of gold.

Thus for a little forgetting his own interest in this scene, Packard
watched, wondering what the outcome would be. Blenham tempted. Barbee
hesitated.