"Good ol' Glendin. I knew you'd see light. I'll go out and get the boys I want in ten minutes. Wait here. Shorty and Doc Young will come in a minute. One thing more: when you get to Drew's place you'll find him actin' queer." "What about?" "I dunno why. It's a bad mess. You see, he's after this Bard himself, the way I figure it, and he wants him left alone. He'd raise hell if he knew a posse was after the tenderfoot." "Drew's a bad one to get against me." "I know. You think I'm double-crossin'?" "I'll do it. But this squares all scores between us, Steve?" "Right. It leaves the debt on my side, and you know I've never dodged an I.O.U. Drew may talk queer. He'll tell you that Bard done all that work in self-defence." "Did he?" "The point is he killed a man and stole a hoss. No matter what comes of it, he's got to be arrested, don't he?" "And shot down while 'resistin' arrest'? Steve, I'd hate to have you out for me like this." "But you won't listen to Drew?" "Not this one time. But, Lord, man, I hate to face him if he's on the warpath. Who'll you take with you?" "Shorty, of course. He was Calamity Ben's pal. The rest will be--don't laugh--Butch Conklin and his gang." "Butch!" "Hold yourself together. That's what I mean--Butch Conklin." "After you dropped him the other night?" "Self-defence, and he knows it. I can find Butch, and I can make him go with me. Besides, he's out for Bard himself." The deputy said with much meaning: "You can do a lot of queer things, Nash." "Forget it, Glendin." "I will for a while. D'you really think I can let you take out Butch and his gunmen ag'in' Bard? Why, they're ten times worse'n the tenderfoot." "Maybe, but there's nothin' proved ag'in' 'em--nothin' but a bit of cattle-liftin', maybe, and things like that. The point is, they're all hard men, and with 'em along I can't help but get Bard." "Murder ain't proved on Butch and his men, but it will be before long." "Wait till it's proved. In the meantime use em all." "You've a long head, Nash." "Glendin, I'm makin' the biggest play of my life. I'm off to find Butch. You'll stand firm with Drew?" "I won't hear a word he says." "S'long! Be back in ten minutes. Wait for me." He was as good as his word. Even before the ten minutes had elapsed he was back, and behind followed a crew of heavy thumping boots up the stairs of Glendin's house and into the room where he sat with Dr. Young and Shorty Kilrain. They rose, but not from respect, when Nash entered with Conklin and his four ill-famed followers behind. The soiled bandage on the head of Butch was far too thick to allow his hat to sit in its normal position. It was perched high on top, and secured in place by a bit of string which passed from side to side under the chin. Behind him came Lovel, an almost albino type with straw-coloured hair and eyes bleached and passionless; the vacuous smile was never gone from his lips.