keep this still--never in the world. I'm bound to tell it on myself!" He
wiped tears from his eyes and waved his hand helplessly. "Take the ranch,
stranger. She's yours. I wouldn't touch you if you was solid gold and
charges prepaid."

"Oh, don't make a stranger of me!" begged Pete. "You was callin' me by
the name of Johnson half an hour ago. Forgot yourself, likely."

"Did I?" said Jim indifferently. "No odds. You've got my number, anyway.
And I thought we was so devilish sly!"

"Well, boys, thank you for the dinner and all; but I'd best be jogging.
Got to catch that train."

Knitting his brows reflectively he turned a questioning eye upon his
hosts. But Shorty Bill took the words from his mouth.

"I'm like Jim: I've got a-plenty," he said. "But there's a repeating
rifle in the shack, if you don't want to risk us. You can leave it at
Silverbell for us if you want to--at the saloon. And we can ride off
the other way, so you'll be sure."

"Maybe that'll be best--considerin'," said Pete. "I'll leave the gun."

"See here, Johnson," said Jim stiffly. "We've thrown 'em down, fair and
square. I think you might trust us."

Pete scratched his head in some perplexity.

"I think maybe I might if it was only myself to think of. But I'm