Evening star., 1909-08-22
! o

why Cayuse is here, too Mrs Cayuse is dead"
The gambler nodded coldly, and Trimmer went on.
caused her death.
McCoppet threw away his chewed cigar and
placed it with a fresh He nodded as before.
"Cavuse is wise that l know who that man is,
resumed the visitor. II told him to come here to
Goldite and I'd give up the name He began to
consume his cigar once more by inches and watched
the effect of his words.
THERE was no visible effect McCoppet had
never been calmer in his life-outwardly. In
wardly he had never felt nearer to death, and his
own kind of fright upon him Well, he said,
your aces look good to me- What do you want,
how much!"
dance to the whole country answered Trimmer,
with rare perspcacity OF judgment You bet
you're gon to pay!'
. If you want your thousand back why don't you
say so?' inquired the gambler quietly. I'm make
it fifteen hundred. That's pretty good interest, l
reckon
Your reckoner's run down." Trimmer assured
him 1 want ten thousand dollars to steer Cayuse
away"
McCoppet slowly shook his head You amt
a hog Larry; you re Rockefeller. Five thousand,
cash on the nail if you show you steer Cayuse
SO far off the trail he'll never get on it again.
Five thousand dollars was great deal OF money to
real expectations. But he saw that his power was
large He was brutally frank. Nope can't do it,
Opal, not even fer friend" " and he grinned. I've
got you in the door, and I'm goin to jam you hard.
Five thousand amt enough"
Things had been going against the gambler for
nearly hour. He had been acutely alarmed by
the presence of Cayuse in the camp His mind like
a ferret in trap, seeking wildly for loophole
of advantage. Light came IN upon him suddenly,
with a thought of Culver by whom, subconsciously,
he worried.
How do you mean to handle the halfbreed?" he
inquired by way of preparing his ground. You've
promised to cough up name.
Trimmer scratched his head with the end of his
pistol Il guess l could tell him the man had in
mind was innercent, and that l couldn't give him
the as promised
Sounds like kids excuse" commented McCop-
pet Like not he d take it out of you. "
The likelihood was SO strong that Trimmer visibly
paled I've got to give him somebody's name,
he agreed with alacrity. Has anyone died around
here recent!"
Yes > answered McCoppet with ready mendacity,
Culver who used to do surveying.
"Who2" asked Trimmer. Don't know him
McCoppet leaned across the table. Yes, you do.
He stopped you once from steang-from picking up
lot of timber land Remember"
were aroused Was that the cuss? l
him Do you think Cayuse would know who he was,
and believe it,?
"Cayuse was one time his chairman" McCoppet
tremendously excited, though apparently
cold ice he swiftly thought out the nicetes of
his own and Fates arrangements. Cayuse's wife
Say, anybody'd swaller that, reflected the
lumberman aloud But five thousand dollars amt
enough.
split, agreed the gambler. He thought he
foresaw a means whereby he could save this amount
from the funds that Bostwick would furnish. He
from his seat. "A thousand down; the balance
when Cayuse IS gone, leaving me safe forever; you
to give him the right now
Trimmer stood up, quenched the light on the stub
of his cigar, and chewed up the butt with evident
enjoyment "Al right, he answered. Shake !"
Ten minutes later he had found Cayuse delivered
the agreed upon, and was busy spending his
money.
CHAPTER XIX
Van and Beth and Bostwick
MAN was far too occupied to retain for long the