The big man could not restrain his smile, though it came like a shadow of mirth rather than the sunlight. "After all, they might as well lose it to you as to someone else." "Sure," grinned Nash, "it keeps it in the family, eh?" "But one of these days, Steve, crooked cards will be the end of you." "I'm still pretty fast on the draw," said Steve sullenly. "All right. That's your business. Now I want you to listen to some of mine." "Real work?" "Your own line." "That," said Nash, with a smile of infinite meaning, "sounds like the dinner bell to me. Let her go, sir!" CHAPTER XI THE QUEST BEGINS "You know the old place on the other side of the range?" "Like a book. I got pet names for all the trees." "There's a man there I want." "Logan?" "No. His name is Bard." "H-m! Any relation of the old bird that was partners with you back about the year one?" "I want Anthony Bard brought here," said. Drew, entirely overlooking the question. "Easy. I can make the trip in a buckboard and I'll dump him in the back of it." "No. He's got to _ride_ here, understand?" "A dead man," said Nash calmly, "ain't much good on a hoss." "Listen to me," said Drew, his voice lowering to a sort of musical thunder, "if you harm a hair of this lad's head I'll-I'll break you in two with my own hands." And he made a significant gesture as if he were snapping a twig between his fingers. Nash moistened his lips, then his square, powerful jaw jutted out. "Which the general idea is me doing baby talk and sort of hypnotizing this Bard feller into coming along?" "More than that. He's got to be brought here alive, untouched, and placed in that chair tied so that he can't move hand or foot for ten minutes while I talk." "Nice, quiet day you got planned for me, Mr. Drew." The grey man considered thoughtfully. "Now and then you've told me of a girl at Eldara--I think her name is Sally Fortune?" "Right. She begins where the rest of the calico leaves off." "H-m! that sounds familiar, somehow. Well, Steve, you've said that if you had a good start you think the girl would marry you." "I think she might." "She pretty fond of you?" "She knows that if I can't have her I'm fast enough to keep everyone else away." "I see. A process of elimination with you as the eliminator. Rather an odd courtship, Steve?" The cowpuncher grew deadly serious.