“Trade? I’ll tell yuh what I’ll trade--me for you? Get what I mean? No? Then here’s the idea; I’ll be the sheriff, and you lie out here in these hot rocks. I’ve allus wanted to have a chance to boss things a little m’self. You’ve been sheriff for so long that it won’t hurt yuh to let yore brother handle the job for a few hours or days; it’s all accordin’ to how yuh stand the heat. I’ll come out to-morrow and give yuh feed and water. I can alibi that by the fact that I’m lookin’ for the man you _didn’t_ find. “Yeah, that’s what I said! I never robbed yore bank; never was in Oro City in my life. You trailed the wrong man. I’ve dodged sheriffs from Laredo to Vancouver, but yo’re the first one ever to put the deadwood on me--and for somethin’ I never done! But I’m through dodgin’ for a while, at least as long as I can keep you under cover. “I’ll jist go down to Oro City and be the sheriff for a while, and what I want you to do right now is to tell me a few things.” “Tell yuh a few things?” parroted the sheriff. “Yeah. What’s the name of yore deputy?” An expression of animal cunning flashed across the sheriff’s face. “Find out for yourself,” he said. “Meanin’ that you won’t come through with any information, eh?” “I’m not tellin’ what I know.” “Do yuh think that’ll stop me?” The speaker laughed shortly. “I’ve brought contraband from Mexico under the noses of the rangers, and I’ve had mounties ride with me on a wagon load of hooch into Alberta. I’ve run, when the runnin’ was good, and I’ve shot my way through, when it was blocked. I’ve preached in Seattle and dealt faro in Reno. “I’ve lived on my nerve, Bennie; and I’ll keep on livin’ on my nerve. Yore little penny-ante town don’t scare me. I’ll go down there and be the sheriff. I’m glad yuh said that few people ever come out here. You’ll stay here, while I play sheriff, and after a few days I’ll crack that bank for every cent she’s got, and then I’ll turn you loose.” “You goin’ to take my star and my guns?” “I shore am. C’mon over to my horse while I get a rope.” “Yo’re crazy.” The sheriff shuffled ahead and stood there dumbly, while the other man shook out a lariat. “I’ll have to turn my horse loose,” he told the sheriff. “I’ll cache the saddle and bridle. Whew! that sun is hot. It’s a wonder it don’t drive all you folks crazy down here. It’s a cinch I won’t stay here very long, but I’ll go away with more than I brought. So yo’re a big man in this county, eh? I’ve never had a chance to be a big man. Mebbe I’ll go straight, Ben. It all depends on how you stand the heat out here in the rocks. With you out of the way, I might play a straight game.” “Yo’re crazy,” said the sheriff in a dull voice. “Crazy? Ha, ha, ha, ha! Not me, Bennie. Yo’re crazy, if you think I am.” “Are you goin’ to tie me up?” “Y’betcha.”