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"An' so you're working for Beasley?" he queried, by way of starting conversation
"We was," drawled John "But to-day, bein' the end of our ot our pay an' quit Beasley sure was sore"
"Why'd you knock off?"
John essayed no reply, and his brothers all had that quiet, suppressed look of knowledge under restraint
"Listen to what I come to tell you, then you'll talk," went on Dale And hurriedly he told of Beasley's plot to abduct Al Auchincloss's niece and clai man's property
When Dale ended, rather breathlessly, the Mor John, the eldest, took up a stick and slowly poked the red e the white sparks fly
"Now, Milt, why'd you tell us thet?" he asked, guardedly
"You're the only friends I've got," replied Dale "It didn't seeht of you boys right off I ain't goin' to let Snake Anson get that girl An' I need help, so I come to you"
"Beasley's strong around Pine, an' old Al's weakenin' Beasley will git the property, girl or no girl," said John
"Things don't always turn out as they look But no irl deal is what riled dalena on the sixteenth, an' take stage for Snowdrop Nohat to do? If she travels on that stage I'll be on it, you bet But she oughtn't to be in it at allBoys, sooin' to save her Will you help ht corners for you Sure, this 's different But are you my friends? You knohat Beasley is An' you're all lost at the hands of Snake Anson's gang You've got fast hosses, eyes for trackin', an' you can handle a rifle You're the kind of fellows I'd want in a tight pinch with a bad gang Will you stand by o alone?"
Then John Beeave Dale's hand a powerful grip, and one by one the other brothers rose to do likewise Their eyes flashed with hard glint and a strange bitterness hovered around their thin lips
"Milt, mebbe we knohat Beasley is better 'n you," said John, at length "He ruined my father He's cheated other Morets the sheep Anson's gang steals An' drives the herds to Phenix! Our people won't let us accuse Beasley So we've suffered in silence My father always said, let soainst Beasley, an' you've come to us!"