Struve leaped instantly to his feet, overturning his chair in his
haste. He had not met the big Norseman since the night he had
attempted to hang Fraser.

"Ay bane not shoot yuh now," Siegfried told him.

"Right sure of that, are you?" the convict snarled, his hand on his
weapon. "If you've got any doubts, now's the time to air them, and
we'll settle this thing right now."

"Ay bane not shoot, Ay tell you."

Tommie, who had ducked beneath the table at the prospect of trouble,
now cautiously emerged.

"I ain't lost any pills from either of your guns, gents," he
explained, with a face so laughably and frankly frightened that both
of the others smiled.

"Have a drink, Siegfried," suggested Struve, by way of sealing the
treaty. "Tommie, get out that bottle."

"Ay bane t'ink Ay look to my horse first," the Norwegian answered, and
immediately left by way of the back door not three minutes before Jed
Briscoe entered by the front one.

Jed shut the door behind him and looked at the convict.

"Well?" he demanded.