He slouched now under the tree and waited—a sullen lump of a figure whose dark garments blended with the shadowy trunk as the night fell. The small figure coming up the slope of the lane approached the back door of Colorado Brown’s place without seeing the man until almost within arm’s length. “Hey, Nell!” She started, looked up, stepped back a pace. “Don’t be scare’t of me.” “Don’t flatter yourself, Tolley,” replied the girl curtly. “I want to speak with you.” “I don’t want to speak to you.” “Say—listen! You ain’t treating me right. You walked out and left me flat. You didn’t even ask me for a raise. How’d you know I wouldn’t give you as much as Brown does?” “I didn’t want to know. I got through. You didn’t have any hold on me, Tolley.” “Mebbe not. Mebbe I have. You better listen,” for the girl was turning scornfully away. “You and Dick played it low down on me.” Now she gave him her full attention. It was so dark under the tree that he could not see her face clearly, but he knew some sudden emotion shook her. To himself he grinned. “I got to admit my losing you and Dick has put a crimp in the Grub Stake’s business. You was my best performer, and Dick Beckworth was the best card-sharp I had. Looker here! You come back to the Grub Stake and—and I won’t say nothing more.” “What do you mean?” She had almost instantly gained control of herself. “You can say all you like. I am never going to sing in your joint again.” “You ain’t?” “No.” “You better think again.” His voice was grim, menacing. “I can say something you won’t like to hear.” “Say it.” She spat the command out as boldly as was her usual speech; but in her heart sudden fear fluttered like a netted bird. “I been tellin’ them Dick Beckworth lit out for Crescent City, and that I heard later he was dealing ’em in Denver.” “Dick Beckworth?” gasped the girl. “Yeppy. I told ’em that. But I know derned well he didn’t ride north that day——” “Why do you speak to me of Dick Beckworth?” She tried to say it boldly, calmly. She stared at him in the dusk, her figure tense. He could see her blue eyes gleam like twin sapphires. “I’m telling you. Listen,” whispered Tolley hoarsely. “I could show ’em the bones of Dick’s hoss in the gravel below the Overhang—right at the edge of Runaway River. I got his saddle right now in my big safe. What do you say to that?” “Dick——” “I reckon you know how the hoss and the saddle went over the cliff. And Dick was with ’em. He wasn’t with ’em when I raked out the saddle. Dick had gone to some place a dern sight more distant than Crescent City—nor yet Denver.” She was silent. He could hear her quick, labored breathing. Satisfaction fired all the mean soul of the man. “You think it over, Nell.” He turned and lurched heavily away. The girl stood rooted to the place, more shaken, more terrified, than even Boss Tolley suspected. He was out of sight before she gained strength to move. CHAPTER VI—THE APPROACH