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challenge remained untaken。 〃Why don't you take him up？〃 inquired
the young man； after a moment。 〃Not me！〃 negatived the other
vigorously。 〃I'll go yore little old gunfight to a finish； but I don't want
any cold steel in mine。 Ugh！ it gives me the shivers。 It's a reg'lar
Mexican trick！ With a gun it's down and out； but this knife work is too
slow and searchin'。〃
The newcomer said nothing； but fixed his eye again on the raging man
with the knife。
〃Don't you reckon he's bluffing？ 〃be inquired。
〃Not any！〃 denied the other with emphasis。 〃He's jest drunk enough to
be crazy mad。〃
The newcomer shrugged his shoulders and cast his glance searchingly
over the fringe of the crowd。 It rested on a Mexican。 〃Hi； Tony！ come
here；〃 he called。 The Mexican approached； flashing his white teeth。
〃Here；〃 said the stranger； 〃lend me your knife a minute。〃 The
Mexican； anticipating sport of his own peculiar kind； obeyed with alacrity。
〃You fellows make me tired；〃 observed the stranger； dismounting。 〃He's
got the whole townful of you bluffed to a standstill。 Damn if I don't try
his little game。〃 He hung his coat on his saddle； shouldered his way
through the press； which parted for him readily； and picked up the other
corner of the handkerchief。 〃Now； you mangy son of a gun；〃 said he。
CHAPTER THREE THE AGREEMENT
Jed Parker straightened his back； rolled up the bandana handkerchief；
and thrust it into his pocket； hit flat with his hand the touselled mass of his
hair； and thrust the long hunting knife into its sheath。 〃You're the man
I want；〃 said he。
Instantly the two…gun man had jerked loose his weapons and was
covering the foreman。 〃AM I！〃 he snarled。 Not jest that
way；〃 explained Parker。 〃My gun is on my hoss； and you can have this old
toad…sticker if you want it。 I been looking for you； and took this way of
finding you。 Now； let's go talk。〃 The stranger looked him in the
eye for nearly a half minute without lowering his revolvers。 〃I go
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you；〃 said he briefly； at last。 But the crowd； missing the purport；
and in fact the very occurrence of this colloquy； did not understand。 It
thought the bluff had been called； and naturally； finding harmless what had
intimidated it； gave way to an exasperated impulse to get even。
〃You bluffer！〃 shouted a voice； 〃don't you think you can run any
such ranikaboo here！〃 Jed Parker turned humorously to his
companion。 〃Do we get that talk？〃 he inquired gently。 For
answer the two…gun man turned and walked steadily in the direction of the
man who had shouted。 The latter's hand strayed uncertainly toward his
own weapon； but the movement paused when the stranger's clear； steel eye
rested on it。 〃This gentleman；〃 pointed out the two…gun man softly；
〃is an old friend of mine。 Don't you get to calling of him names。〃
His eye swept the bystanders calmly。 〃Come on； Jack；〃 said be；
addressing Parker。 On the outskirts be encountered the Mexican
from whom he bad borrowed the knife。 〃Here； Tony；〃 said he with
a slight laugh； 〃here's a peso。 You'll find your knife back there where I
had to drop her。〃
He entered a saloon； nodded to the proprietor； and led the way through
it to a boxlike room containing a board table and two chairs。
〃Make good；〃he commanded briefly。
〃I'm looking for a man with nerve；〃 explained Parker； with equal
succinctness。 〃You're the man。〃 〃Well？〃
〃Do you know the country south of here？〃 The stranger's eyes
narrowed。 〃Proceed；〃 said he。 〃I'm foreman of the Lazy Y of Soda
Springs Valley range；〃 explained Parker。 〃I'm looking for a man with
sand enough and sabe of the country enough to lead a posse after cattle…
rustlers into the border country。〃 〃I live in this country；〃 admitted
the stranger。 〃So do plenty of others； but their eyes stick out like
two raw oysters when you mention the border country。 Will you tackle
it？〃 〃What's the proposition？〃 〃Come and see the old man。 He'll
put it to you。〃 They mounted their horses and rode the rest of the day。
The desert compassed them about； marvellously changing shape and
colour； and every character； with all the noiselessness of phantasmagoria。
At evening the desert stars shone steady and unwinking； like the flames of
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candles。 By moonrise they came to the home ranch。
The buildings and corrals lay dark and silent against the moonlight that
made of the plain a sea of mist。 The two men unsaddled their horses and
turned them loose in the wire…fenced 〃pasture；〃 the necessary noises of
their movements sounding sharp and clear against the velvet hush
of the night。 After a moment they walked stiffly past the sheds and cook
shanty； past the men's bunk houses； and the tall windmill silhouetted
against the sky； to the main building of the home ranch under its great
cottonwoods。 There a light still burned； for this was the third day； and
Buck Johnson awaited his foreman。 Jed Parker pushed in
without ceremony。
〃Here's your man； Buck；〃 said he。
The stranger had stepped inside and carefully closed the door behind
him。 The lamplight threw into relief the bold； free lines of his face； the
details of his costume powdered thick with alkali； the shiny butts of the
two guns in their open holsters tied at the bottom。 Equally it defined the
resolute countenance of Buck Johnson turned up in inquiry。 The two
men examined each otherand liked each other at once。 〃How are
you；〃 greeted the cattleman。
〃Good…evening；〃 responded the stranger。 〃Sit down；〃invited Buck
Johnson。 The stranger perched gingerly on the edge of a chair； with
an appearance less of embarrassment than of habitual alertness。
〃You'll take the job？〃 inquired the Senor。
〃I haven't heard what it is；〃 replied the stranger。
〃Parker here？〃
〃Said you'd explain。〃 〃Very well；〃 said Buck Johnson。 He
paused a moment； collecting his thoughts。 〃There's too much cattle…
rustling here。 I'm going to stop it。 I've got good men here ready to take
the job； but no one who knows the country south。 Three days ago I had a
bunch of cattle stolen right here from the home…ranch corrals； and by one
man； at that。 It wasn't much of a bunchabout twenty headbut I'm
going to make a starter right here； and now。 I'm going to get that bunch
back； and the man who stole them； if I have to go to hell to do it。 And
I'm going to do the same with every case of rustling that comes up from
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now on。 I don't care if it's only one cow； I'm going to get it backevery
trip。 Now； I want to know if you'll lead a posse down into the south
country and bring out that last bunch； and the man who rustled them？〃
〃I don't know〃 hesitated the stranger。 〃I offer you five thousand
dollars in gold if you'll bring back those cows and the man who stole 'em；〃
repeated Buck Johnson。
〃And I'll give you all the horses and men you think you need。〃 〃I'll
do it；〃replied the two…gun man promptly。 〃Good！〃 cried Buck Johnson；
〃and you better start to…morrow。〃 〃I shall start to…nightright now。〃
〃Better yet。 How many men do you want； and grub for how long？〃
〃I'll play her a lone hand。〃 〃Alone！〃 exclaimed Johnson； his
confidence visibly cooling。
〃Alone！ Do you think you can make her？〃