“Ye’ll take these five men, mebbe. An’ after ye strike the creek border they can carry in one eye all ye give ’em. Gimme a thousand an’ we’ll round up the Tonpits, bunch the hosses an’ ride for the Coosa.” “A thousand! Ye’re crazy. After Polcher dips his dirty paws in, what’ll be left for me?” “Polcher?” gasped Hester, rubbing his chin. “Huh! So he’s down there. I don’t reckon I care for to see Mister Polcher. He must feel nasty the way I fetched the Tonpits to ye. An’ he’s sure told McGillivray the trick I played. I ain’t hankerin’ to see McGillivray, neither. Gimme the five hundred now.” “What do I git for the five hundred?” sneered Hajason. “I’ll help round ’em up an’ help run ’em off till we strike the lower towns. I’ve got some good friends there.” Hajason stroked his beard thoughtfully; then he promised— “As soon as we git the man an’ woman on hosses an’ ready to cut an’ run I’ll hand over.” Hester’s visage grew dark with passion, but he feared Hajason and smothered his rage and reluctantly agreed: “Ye drive a fussy bargain. But I’ll agree, providin’ ye can pay me the minute we catch ’em.” Hajason tapped a bulging belt under his hunting-shirt and assured: “I’ve got it with me. Don’t fret any. I’ve been lookin’ for the game to bust up an’ always go loaded. It’s yers once we nail ’em.” “All right,” said Hester, catching a horse and mounting. Red Hajason climbed into a saddle and ordered the guards to take the horses down the trail a mile. “We’ll save time pickin’ ’em up there,” he laughed. “There’ll be some pretty profits out of the nags an’ the saddles,” mused Hester. “S’pose I come in on that?” “S’pose ye don’t, an’ save yer breath,” snarled Red Hajason. “Ye’re lucky I ain’t found no fault for the way ye let them two slip through yer hands while I was gone. I’m a fool to give ye even five hundred.” Hester sighed and rode beside Red Hajason and remarked: “Wal, if ye feel that way ’bout it, I reckon I won’t say nothin’ more. I’ll jest take all ye’ve got.” He had pistoled his man before Sevier could guess what was coming. The borderer raised his rifle; then he lowered it as the five guards sounded a shout of rage and started for the assassin. The last Sevier saw of Hester the bully was galloping the two horses up the trail while he held Hajason’s body in the saddle and unfastened the heavy money-belt. After the guards had pounded by his place of concealment Sevier darted across the trail. The rearmost guard happened to glance back and see him. He wheeled about with a yell of warning to his mates, but the four swept on to kill Hester. The cry was answered from the woods, however, and Sevier dived into cover just as the outlaws returned from chasing Bloody Mouth.