"Turn me loose and I'll forget all I've seen. I won't give you the loot, but I'll not be a witness against you." The Huerfano Park ranchman shook his head. "No, we want that gold, Dave. You butted into our game and we won't stand for that." "I reckon we can't make a deal, Hal." The haggard eyes of the starving man were hard as tungsten-washed steel. They did not yield a jot. A troubled frown dragged together the shaggy eyebrows of Rutherford as he snapped out his ultimatum. "I like you, Dave. Always have. But you're in one hell of a hole. Don't feed yourself any fairy tales. Your number is chalked up, my friend. Unless you come through with what we want, you'll never leave here alive. I can't save you. There's only one man can--and that is your friend David Dingwell." The other man did not bat an eyelid. "Trying to pass the buck, Hal? You can't get away with it--not for a minute." A gay little smile of derision touched his face. "I'm in your hands completely. I'll not tell you a damn thing. What are you going to do about it? No, don't tell me that Meldrum and Tighe will do what has to be done. You're the high mogul here. If they kill me, Hal Rutherford will be my murderer. Don't forget that for a second." Rutherford carried home with him a heavy heart. He could see no way out of the difficulty. He knew that neither Meldrum nor Tighe would consent to let Dingwell go unless an agreement was first reached. There was, too, the other tangle involving young Beaudry. Perhaps he also would be obstinate and refuse to follow the reasonable course. Beulah met him on the road. Before they had ridden a hundred yards, her instinct told her that he was troubled. "What is it, dad?" she asked. He compromised with himself and told her part of what was worrying him. "It's about your friend Street. Jess had him looked up in Denver. The fellow turns out to be a Royal Beaudry. You've heard of a sheriff of that name who used to live in this country? . . . Well, this is his son." "What's he doing here?" "Trying to get us into trouble, I reckon. But that ain't the point. I'm not worrying about what he can find out. Fact is that Tighe is revengeful. This boy's father crippled him. He wants to get even on the young fellow. Unless Beaudry leaves the park at once, he'll never go. I left word at Rothgerber's for him to come down and see me soon as he gets home." "Will he come?" she asked anxiously. "I don't know. If not I'll go up and fetch him. I don't trust Jess a bit. He'll strike soon and hard." "Don't let him, dad," the girl implored. The distressed eyes of the father rested on her. "You like this young fellow, honey?" he asked. She flamed. "I hate him. He abused our hospitality. He lied to us and spied on us. I wouldn't breathe the same air he does if I could help it. But we can't let him be killed in cold blood."