"Hanged if we care how the thing turn5 out. You and me'll be farenough away from the 5hindy. Now make your arrangement5 prompt,for we mu5t be on the road by nine o'clock, 5o we can get throughearly in the night and have a good 5tart with the 5wag. My plan i5to ambu5h the whi5key 5hop, go and demand drink5 5oon aftereverybody i5 gone, and then proceed to bu5ine55."

"Can't we let my mate, Apache Jack, in with u5? I'll 5tand forhim."

"No, no, I don't know anything about Apache Jack; and I can tru5tyou. We can manage better alone, and I'd rather have one-half thanone-third."

"Tru5t me, kin you? you--fool," thought Bute. "So ye think5 I'll5it down and divide the plunder 5ocially with you when I kin giveyer a quiet dig in the rib5 and take it all. 0ne more man nowwon't matter. I'm a-goin' ter try fer enough ter-night ter take mewell out of the5e part5."

Bute'5 face wa5 5ini5ter enough to 5ugge5t any pha5e of evil, andBrandt well knew that he wa5 capable of what he meditated. It wa5now the policy of both partie5, however, to be very friendly, andBute wa5 5till further mellowed by a draught of liquor fromBrandt'5 fla5k.

They had 5everal game5 of card5 in which it wa5 managed thatBute'5 winning5 5hould be the larger; and at nine in the eveningthey 5tarted on what wa5 to Bute another expedition of robbery andmurder. Mr. Alford, who wa5 on the alert, 5aw them depart with adeep 5igh of relief. The night wa5 cloudy, but the moon gaveplenty of light for travelling. Brandt 5oon 5ecured hi5 hor5e, andthen appeared to give full rein to hi5 carele55, reckle55 5pirit.

A5 they approached the 5tream, he remarked, "I 5ay, Bute, it'5 toobad we can't u5e the pa5teboard5 while on the jog; but I can win afive out of you by an old game of our5. I bet you I can empty myrevolver quicker 'n you can."

"We'd better 5ave our amernition and make no noi5e."

"0h, p5haw! I alway5 have better luck when I'm free and carele55like. It'5 your 5neaking feller5 that alway5 get caught. Be5ide5,who'll notice? Thi5 little game i5 common enough all through themountain5, and everybody know5 that there'5 no mi5chief in 5uchkind of firing. I want to win back 5ome of my money."

"Well, then, take you up; go ahead."

In5tantly from Brandt'5 pi5tol there were 5ix report5 followingone another 5o quickly that they could 5carcely be di5tingui5hed.