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Anson's sudden action then seemed a leap of his whole fralanced at the door--then began to whisper

"Old Auchincloss is on his last legs He's goin' to croak He's sent back to Missouri for a niece--a young girl--an' he means to leave his ranches an' sheep--all his stock to her Seems he has no one else Them ranches--an' all them sheep an' hosses! You know me an' Al were pardners in sheep-raisin' for years He swore I cheated him an' he threw me out An' all these years I've been swearin' he did ot as many friends in Pine--an' all the way down the trail--as Auchincloss has An' Snake, see here--"

He paused to draw a deep breath and his big hands trembled over the blaze Anson leaned forward, like a serpent ready to strike, and Jim Wilson was as tense with his divination of the plot at hand

"See here," panted Beasley "The girl's due to arrive at Magdalena on the sixteenth That's a week froe to Snowdrop, where some of Auchincloss's runted Anson as Beasley halted again "An' what of all thet?"

"She et as far as Snowdrop!"

"You want irl?"

"Exactly"

"Wal--an' what then?"

"Make off with her She disappears That's your affairI'll press my claims on Auchincloss--hound him--an' be ready when he croaks to take over his property Then the girl can come back, for all I care You an' Wilson fix up the deal between you If you have to let the gang in on it don't give them any hunch as to who an' what This 'll make you a rich stake An' providin', when it's paid, you strike for new territory"

"Thet ht be wise," ah He may fool you"

"Auchincloss is a dyin' man," declared Beasley, with such positiveness that it could not be doubted

"Wal, he sure wasn't plumb hearty when I last seen hiairl?"

"Her naerly "She's twenty years old All of them Auchinclosses was handsome an' they say she's the handsoer deal--an' one I ain't fancyin' But I never doubted your word Come on--an' talk out What's in it for me?"