The facts as known were enough for Dave. Whatever Schatz might be planning, Dave was satisfied that he had no part in it. That Schatz intended to treat him fairly was beyond the angle of his narrow mind. He was very calm over it, his face smooth of wrinkles, his movements slow and assured. He had passed through all the stages from irritation to rage—and beyond: Calm is always beyond. "Mein gracious, Dave, you vas in a hurry?" asked Schatz, as Dave entered. He hung saddle and bridle on a peg in the kitchen and strode through into the other room before replying. "No," he drawled, dropping into a chair and stretching his legs full length. "No? Schust try to kill a horse, _vas_?" "Yes. Played a trick on me this mornin’ an’ I ’m showin’ him who ’s boss." "_Dummer Esel_! Und vor a trick you kill him! Den no more tricks, _vas_?" "Oh, to h—l with th’ cayuse! What’s all this I hear o’ you an’ Peters in a lovin’ match?" "_Ach_! ’_Nun kommt die Wahrheit_’! If you not come to-day, I send for you. Vy you stay avay like dot?" "I ’m busy tryin’ to make Peters good an’ sick o’ th’ range, tryin’ to drive him back to Texas, where he come from. What are you doin’: payin’ his passage or backin’ him to win?" "Paying his passage, Dave; vere, I am not sure. Look: here iss Herr Peters," stabbing a finger into the palm of his extended right hand, "und here iss McAllister," duplicating with his left; "und ven I do so," closing both hands tightly, "nobody iss left but Schatz." "Easy as that, eh?" said Dave, sceptically. "Schust so easy like dot. Look! I make me a pardner by der Double Y." "Fine," drawled Dave, with hidden sarcasm. "Vine as gold. Peters, he get all der money vat he can. McAllister, he send der same as Peters. Me, I got dot money, already. Der money vas in der bank. Der range iss my property schust so much as Peters und McAllister." "Fine," repeated Dave. "Peters, he dink he spend der money. Soon he go to buy cows. Now iss de point: to-morrow I go by der bank, I dake oud all der money. Four men iss guard. I say I go over by der Bitter Root vere der Deuce Arrow herd for sale iss; und I take all der money. Because dot bank in Vayback too small. I leave der bank und stop by der Miner’s Pick saloon. Ve drink. A man vot vears a mask comes in. He cover us mit a gun. He take der money, ride away to Coon River by der Red Bluff. Dere iss man und boat. Der man mit der boat take horse und ride to first relay und pretty soon he iss in Rankin. A relay every ten miles. Der man mit der money go down river in der boat five mile und dere iss man mit two horses; he ride to Vayback und den here mit der money. Vat you tink?" "Fine," said Dave, for the third time. "An’ who ’s goin’ to do all that ground an’ lofty tumblin’ with th’ money?" "Dave Owens," replied Schatz, with an air of conferring a great favor.