Gallwey fancied this last was meant as an intimation that accuracy was advisable, and he watched the big, loose-limbed man who was filling his pipe just then. He appeared uneasy under all this scrutiny, for Leland was also quietly regarding him. "Now I come to recollect, it was four." "Anybody else?" said Leland. "Custer; he came along with a bob-sled yesterday." "You can't think of any more?" "No," said the other man, who flashed a suspicious glance at him. "I can't quite figure how I could when they weren't there." Leland smoked on tranquilly, apparently considering for a moment or two, and then, straightening himself a little, looked hard at the man. "Jeff," he said quietly, "it's a kind of pity you don't know enough to make a decent liar." The man started, but seemed to recover himself again, and it was with quickening interest Gallwey watched the pair. A smoky kerosene lamp gave out an indifferent light, and a red glare beat out from the open door of the stove, streaming uncertainly upon the faces of the men. It showed Leland sitting motionless, a hard glint in his eyes, and the other man making little uneasy movements as he shrank from the steady gaze. As Leland spoke again, the man winced. "If any man had said as much to me, one of us would have been out in the snow by now," he said. "Have you no grit in you? Then why in the name of thunder did you take hold of a contract that was 'way too big for you? Did you think I could be bluffed by a thing like you?" "I can't quite figure what you mean," said the other man sullenly. "Then I'll have some pleasure in telling you. Soon after the last snow fell, two rustlers came up this trail--there were more of them, but they stayed down by the big one. When they went away, three of my horses went with them. Now, who caught those horses and had them ready? It's kind of curious, too, that they were the pick of the bunch, with good blood in them. The only man round here who could tell them which were worth the lifting is you. Jeff, you don't know enough to run a peanut stand, and yet you figured you were fit to kick against the man who hired you." Jeff appeared to rouse himself for an effort. "You're guessing a good deal of it." "Guessing, when I've lived on this prairie all my life, and the whole thing is written there in the snow. Can't I tell the difference between the tracks of a steady ridden horse and a young one that's not used to the halter? However, I'm open to listen now." "I've just this to say. It won't hurt you to lose a horse or two, and that's about all anybody has ever taken out of you, while it's quite likely you'll be worse off if you make trouble about it. In fact, taking it all around, you can't afford to get rid of me." "Anyway, that is what I mean to do. I have no use for a man who sells my property to his friends. You'll get out of this place to-morrow." "I guess I'll go right now. Thompson will take me in."