While they were nooning at a cow-spring, Bannister, lying on his back, with his face to the turquoise sky, became aware that a vagrant impulse had crystallized to a fixed determination.He broached it at once to his companion.
"One thing is a cinch, Mac.Neither y'u nor I will be safe in this country now until we have broken up the gang of desperadoes that is terrorizing this country.If we don't get them they will get us.There isn't any doubt about that.I'm not willing to lie down before these miscreants.What do y'u say?""I'm with y'u, old man.But put a name to it.What are y'u proposing?" "I'm proposing that y'u and I make it our business not to have anyother business until we clean out this nest of wolves.Let's go right afterthem, and see if we can't wipe out the Shoshone-Teton outfit." "How? They own the law, don't they?""They don't own the United States Government.When they held up a mail-train they did a fool thing, for they bucked up against Uncle Sam.What I propose is that we get hold of one of the gang and make him weaken.Then, after we have got hold of some evidence that will convict, we'll go out and run down my namesake Ned Bannister.If people once get the idea that his hold isn't so strong there's a hundred people that will testify against him.We'll have him in a Government prison inside of six months.""Or else he'll have us in a hole in the ground," added the foreman, dryly.
"One or the other," admitted Bannister."Are y'u in on this thing?""I surely am.Y'u're the best man I've met up with in a month of Sundays, seh.Y'u ain't got but one fault; and that is y'u don't smoke cigareets.Feed yourself about a dozen a day and y'u won't have a blamed trouble left.Match, seh?" The foreman of the Lazy D, already following his own advice, rolled deftly his smoke, moistened it and proceeded to blow away his troubles.
Bannister looked at his debonair insouciance and laughed."Water off a duck's back," he quoted."I know some folks that would be sweating fear right now.It's ce'tainly an aggravating situation, that of being an honest man hunted as a villain by a villain.But I expaict my cousin's enjoying it." "He ain't enjoying it so much as he would if his plans had worked outa little smoother.He's holding the sack right now and cussing right smaht over it being empty, I reckon.""He did lock the stable door a little too late," chuckled the sheepman.But even as he spoke a shadow fell over his face."My God! I had forgotten.Y'u don't suppose he would take it out of Miss Messiter.""Not unless he's tired of living," returned her foreman, darkly."One thing, this country won't stand for is that.He's got to keep his hands off women or he loses out.He dassent lay a hand on them if they don't want him to.That's the law of the plains, isn't it?""That's the unwritten law for the bad man, but I notice it doesn't seemto satisfy y'u, my friend.Y'u and I know that my cousin, Ned Bannister, doesn't acknowledge any law, written or unwritten.He's a devil and he has no fear.Didn't he kidnap her before?""He surely would never dare touch those young ladies.But--I don't know.Bann, I guess we better roll along toward the Lazy D country, after all.""I think so." Ned looked at his friend with smiling drollery."I thought y'u smoked your troubles away, Jim.This one seems to worry y'u."McWilliams grinned sheepishly."There's one trouble won't be smoked away.It kinder dwells."Then, apparently apropos of nothing, he added, irrelevantly: "Wonder what Denver's doing right now?""Probably keeping that appointment y'u ran away from," bantered his friend.
"I'll bet he is.Funny how some men have all the luck," murmured the despondent foreman.
