“Hey?” queried the Jew, with a gasp. “Vat iss it you vant me to do? A sale iss a sale, mein friendt, mitout anyding extra.” “Well, you’ll do this for Jerry, or there won’t be any sale.” “What iss it?” Here the voice of the hunchback entered the conversation. The talk was getting interesting, and Wild Bill listened with all his ears. “Here it is, Abe. A young fellow by the name of Dunbar has gone to Hackamore to buy a diamond ring. I want you to sell it to him, Abe.” “Iss dot all? I vill be gladt.” “No, Abe, that’s not all. Are there any other diamond merchants in Hackamore?” “I’m der only vone.” “Then Dunbar will have to buy of you?” “He vill haf to buy of me if he buys of anypody, yes.” “Good! Now, when he starts to leave town, or just after he leaves, I want you to accuse him of stealing some of your plunder. Do you understand, Abe?” “But vat if he don’t shteal him?” “Accuse him, anyway.” “Den maybe I get meinself into troubles. I say he shteal, und he don’t shteal. Vat vill happen mit me?” “I’ll take care of that, Abe. Have you got any bogus diamonds along with you, Abe?” “Sure I haf. I carry der paste chems for peoples dot don’t vas aple to puy der real shtones. Aber I don’t pring any of dem here to Benner, no, pecause I knows he vants only der best, yes.” “Well, I want some of that bogus jewelry, Abe. You’ll accuse Dunbar of stealing from you; the sheriff will have to chase after him, and look through his saddlebags. The stones will be found in the saddlebags, Abe, so you won’t get yourself into trouble.” “How vill der shtones get into der sattlepags if Dunbar don’t take dem?” “Leave that to me, Abe. Will you do as I say?” There followed a brief silence. “I don’t like dot,” said the Jew finally. “It looks pad for me to mix in sooch business. Hein, hein! No, I cannod assist mit it.” “Then,” came the voice of Benner, “I don’t want this truck I’ve picked out. Keep the stuff, and I’ll wait till the next peddler blows in.” “You von’t take vat you puy?” cried Isaacs, with a groan of dismay. “Not unless you help Jerry.” “Subbose I say dot I help him, und subbose I don’t? I got your money, und you got der vatch und der odder t’ings. How about dot?” “Not so fast, Abe,” chimed in Jerry. “Lige is going to give you five hundred dollars in gold to bind the bargain, and you’re to keep the stuff he has bought until after this flare-up with Dunbar. When that’s over, Abe, you come here and give Lige his jewelry, and take the rest of your money.” “Chentlemen,” wailed the Jew, “I don’t like dis business! But vat can I do? I haf to lif. Yes, yes, I vill do vat you say, but it iss a hardt bargain.” “Hard bargain!” cried Lige Benner derisively. “Why, you old skinner, you’re soaking everybody in the cattle country, and you don’t let it worry you very much. You haven’t got a hair-trigger conscience, Abe, not by a long shot.”