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"Listen!"

Anson whispered tensely His poise was , bludgy finger, to coer sound accompanied the loeird moan of the wind, and the hollow mockery of the brook--and it seemed a barely perceptible, exquisitely delicate wail or whine It filled in the lulls between the other sounds

"If thet's some varmint he's close," whispered Anson

"But shore, it's far off," said Wilson

Shady Jones and Moze divided their opinions in the sa to their for positions around the fire An ihted by the caroup ofcamp-fire, and a few spectral trunks of pines and the tethered horses on the outer edge The horses scarcely moved from their tracks, and their erect, alert heads attested to their sensitiveness to the peculiarities of the night

Then, at an unusually quiet lull the strange sound gradually arose to a wailing whine

"It's thet crazy wench cryin'," declared the outlaw leader

Apparently his allies accepted that statement with as much relief as they had expressed for the terreed Jiurl whinin' all night," growled Shady Jones

"She gives ot up to resuriure of perturbation

"Jim--set down You make hed, but low, as if to keep his strange un ag'in' a biscuit thet in aboot six seconds more or less I'll be stampedin like them hosses"

Anson's lean jaw dropped The other two outlaws stared with round eyes Wilson was not drunk, they evidently knew; but what he really was appeared a mystery

"Jim Wilson, are you showin' yellow?" queried Anson, hoarsely

"Mebbe The Lord only knows But listen heah Snake, you've seen an' heard people croak?"

"You mean cash in--die?"

"Shore"

"Wal, yes--a couple or so," replied Anson, grimly

"But you never seen no one die of shock--of an orful scare?"

"No, I reckon I never did"

"I have An' thet's what's ailin' Jied steps