“Hester was your trusted tool. You pick your men well!” “I shall kill him when I meet him,” promised Polcher. To the outlaw McGillivray said: “Suppose you say just what sort of a bargain you wish to make with me. After all, we may be able to trade.” “An’ why not?” eagerly cried Hajason, the lust for profit showing in his gleaming eyes. “I’ve got somethin’ ye hanker for. Ye’ve got somethin’ I want.” “Yes; I want the Tonpits. What will you take?” promptly asked McGillivray. “Two thousand pounds,” was the cool response. “If it was possible for you to leave this village without being torn to bits by my dogs I would advise you to peddle your wares elsewhere,” said McGillivray. Then he let himself go, and in a voice that trembled with passion he denounced, “You base-born cur! You dare step between McGillivray of the Creeks and his ambitions? You dare dictate what he shall pay for stolen goods?” With the snarl of a wild animal Red Hajason dropped his hand to his belt, but Polcher pushed the muzzle of his pistol against the shaggy head, while the emperor’s folded arms opened and a second pistol was brought to bear. Polcher deftly slipped his hand along the giant’s belt and removed his weapons, stood back from him and looked inquiringly at the emperor, his eyes asking whether he should shoot or not. Hajason realized his peril. Fighting down his anger, he moistened his lips and apologetically said: “Hard words always rile me. I come here alone to drive a bargain. Why shouldn’t I have some ambitions as well as ye? Ye don’t own the Tonpits. They come to me without my askin’, an’ I’ve held ’em in camp. Tonpit has money an’ offered me a thousand pounds, gold, for to be free along with the girl. Afore bargainin’ with him I come to see if ye’d outbid him. That’s all.” For a full minute McGillivray pondered over his frank statement; then he smiled whimsically, replaced his pistol and brusquely admitted: “Yes; you have a right to take your profit. If you had accepted the major’s thousand pounds he would have come to me. I’ll give the two thousand for the safe delivery of him and the girl here at Little Talassee. Two thousand pounds for the two. McGillivray, Emperor of the Creeks, does not have to haggle over terms. When can you have them here? Time presses.” Red Hajason combed his beard and turned to stare at Sevier. Pointing to the borderer he said: “If that man can be kept here, so’s he can’t interfere, I’ll not lose a minute in gittin’ back to my camp. I’ll return here, fetchin’ the Tonpits, as fast as hossflesh can bring us.” “Mr. Sevier plans to spend the Summer with me,” quietly assured McGillivray. “Should he go away, it will be on a very long journey and in a direction opposite to the one you will take in returning to your camp.” Polcher smiled. Hajason was slower to catch the point, but when he did he broke into a loud guffaw.