Leland laughed. "Come right in, gentlemen. I've been waiting to see you, and there's no mistake. Jeff's in the second room yonder, and if he ventures to come out with any notion of making trouble he'll run a considerable risk of getting himself hurt." He had raised his voice a trifle, and the rustle that had commenced died away in token that Jeff had heard. In the meanwhile one of the rustlers had slipped his hand inside his furs; but Leland, who noticed it, made a little gesture. "I guess it's not worth while," he said. "If you'll sit down a minute, I have a word or two to say to you." One of the men did so, but the other stood near the door watching Gallwey, who was, on the whole, thankful that he had taken down Jeff's rifle. "Well?" said the first outlaw. "It was Jeff who gave us away?" "Not exactly. At least, he didn't mean to. You should have got a smarter man before you ventured to put up a bluff on me. Still, that's not the question. When are you going to bring my horses back?" "I'm afraid I can't quite promise," said the other with a chuckle. "With us, finding is sometimes keeping." "You have two weeks. If they're not back in that time, you're going to be sorry." The outlaw laughed openly. "Come down and look at it reasonably. We have got to live, and we have, after all, stuck you for very little. With four police troopers to watch this part of the country, there's nothing you can do. I guess we've got our grip on it just now." "You have two weeks to bring back my horses in." "Then you mean to insist on it?" said the other man. "I do. Don't you get to thinking the honest men in this country are a bit afraid of you. They're only lazy. We have nothing to do with the whisky, but this horse-lifting has got to be stopped. Get out, and remember it, before I use my feet on you." The outlaw was a big man. As he slipped his hand beneath his furs, Leland quietly reached for the axe. "I could shear your arm off before you got it out," he said. "Will you lay it down, and see if you can stop in this shanty when I tell you to get out." The rustler looked at him for a moment, and, though there was very little light, was apparently satisfied. "No," he said. "I guess that's not business, anyway. You won't get your horses, but I'll give you good advice. Sit tight, and mind your farming, and it's quite likely you won't lose any more. We're not nice folks when we're roused, but we're not looking for trouble." "You'll get it," said Leland drily, "unless my horses are back two weeks to-night. Open the door, Tom, and let the gentlemen out." Nothing more was said by either, and in another minute or two there was a thud of hoofs as the outlaws rode away. CHAPTER IX FARMERS IN COUNCIL