Lying beside him was Burk, the deputy marshal, his greenish-gray eyes looking coldly at the house, and whenever he saw a chance for a shot his rifle flew to his shoulder. He became conscious that Ted was looking at him, and turned with a grin on his face. "So we got you at last, eh?" he said to Ted, with a sneer. "You thought you could put this thing through because you are a deputy United States marshal, did you? Well, you won't be a marshal much longer." "I think I'll be longer at the job than you will," Ted replied slowly. "Not after your attempt to loot a dead woman's house while her body still lies there under guard of a United States officer." This caused Ted to think of the situation in a different light. True, he believed that Burk was a crook, and that it was he who was conspiring to rob the house, but he had authority on his side, while Ted's belief, after all, was based on surmise, and he would have difficulty in proving anything criminal against the marshal. At the same time, he did not fear for his own part in the affair, because behind him was the brother of the dead woman. "I say, Burk, I'm tired of this nonsense, lying here and potting away at the house," said a drawling voice, the owner of which could not be seen, being hidden behind the shrubbery. "Can't help it," answered Burk. "We've got to take our time. The house is full of them, and they can shoot some." "Rot! So can we. I propose that we rush them. But first I want the pleasure of putting my revolver against the head of that young bully there and the girl, and getting rid of them. Think what's at stake. We must get away from here soon." "Don't talk nonsense," growled Burk, in reply. "I'm getting tired of it, I tell you. Three of our men are wounded now, and that red-headed beggar is going to die, and he was such a good cook." The speaker laughed unpleasantly at his gruesome joke. "Well, we can't do it now, because we don't know how they're situated. We'd have had them when they all rushed out a few minutes ago if you hadn't shot at them so soon, and driven them indoors again. Why didn't you let them get into the open, where we could have shot them down?" Stella shuddered at the cold-blooded tone in which these men discussed the killing of the boys, but Ted only smiled, for he knew that Burk was at heart a coward, and that he did not care to rush, nor would he stand a rush should one come. He wished he was back in the house and knew the enemy's situation as well as he did now. He would not give them time to run very far. If he could communicate to the boys in some manner the exact situation, he felt confident that the thing would be over in a very short time. "I say, Strong, I've a proposition to make to you," said Burk, after a silence. "Well, out with it," said Ted coldly. "There's no use of any more of us being hurt or killed," said Burk, looking at Ted out of the corner of his eye. "Then why don't you quit shooting and vamose?"