“As I said, Jim cottons to the pretender, an' they get chummy. They're together all the time. You can gamble Jim told all he knew an' then some. A little liquor loosens his tongue. Several of the boys rode over from Ord, an' one of them went to Poggin an' says Jim Fletcher has a new man for the gang. Poggin, you know, is always ready for any new man. He says if one doesn't turn out good he can be shut off easy. He rather liked the way this new part of Jim's was boosted. Jim an' Poggin always hit it up together. So until I got on the deal Jim's pard was already in the gang, without Poggin or you ever seein' him. Then I got to figurin' hard. Just where had I ever seen that chap? As it turned out, I never had seen him, which accounts for my bein' doubtful. I'd never forget any man I'd seen. I dug up a lot of old papers from my kit an' went over them. Letters, pictures, clippin's, an' all that. I guess I had a pretty good notion what I was lookin' for an' who I wanted to make sure of. At last I found it. An' I knew my man. But I didn't spring it on Poggin. Oh no! I want to have some fun with him when the time comes. He'll be wilder than a trapped wolf. I sent Blossom over to Ord to get word from Jim, an' when he verified all this talk I sent Blossom again with a message calculated to make Jim hump. Poggin got sore, said he'd wait for Jim, an' I could come over here to see you about the new job. He'd meet me in Ord.” Knell had spoken hurriedly and low, now and then with passion. His pale eyes glinted like fire in ice, and now his voice fell to a whisper. “Who do you think Fletcher's new man is?” “Who?” demanded Longstreth. “BUCK DUANE!” Down came Longstreth's boots with a crash, then his body grew rigid. “That Nueces outlaw? That two-shot ace-of-spades gun-thrower who killed Bland, Alloway--?” “An' Hardin.” Knell whispered this last name with more feeling than the apparent circumstance demanded. “Yes; and Hardin, the best one of the Rim Rock fellows--Buck Duane!” Longstreth was so ghastly white now that his black mustache seemed outlined against chalk. He eyed his grim lieutenant. They understood each other without more words. It was enough that Buck Duane was there in the Big Bend. Longstreth rose presently and reached for a flask, from which he drank, then offered it to Knell. He waved it aside. “Knell,” began the chief, slowly, as he wiped his lips, “I gathered you have some grudge against this Buck Duane.” “Yes.” “Well, don't be a fool now and do what Poggin or almost any of you men would--don't meet this Buck Duane. I've reason to believe he's a Texas Ranger now.” “The hell you say!” exclaimed Knell. “Yes. Go to Ord and give Jim Fletcher a hunch. He'll get Poggin, and they'll fix even Buck Duane.” “All right. I'll do my best. But if I run into Duane--”