detention which can affect me?" he said.

"No," said Courthorne solemnly, knowing that he lied. "On my honor.
The troopers could only question you. Is it a deal?"

"Yes," said Winston simply, stretching out his hand for the roll of
bills the other flung down on the table, and, while one of the
contracting parties knew that the other would regret it bitterly, the
bargain was made. Then Courthorne laughed in his usual indolent
fashion as he said, "Well, it's all decided, and I don't even ask your
word. To-morrow will see the husk sloughed off and for a fortnight
you'll be Lance Courthorne. I hope you feel equal to playing the role
with credit, because I wouldn't entrust my good fame to everybody."

Winston smiled dryly. "I fancy I shall," he said, and long afterwards
recalled the words. "You see, I had ambitions in my callow days, and
it's not my fault that hitherto I've never had a part to play."

Rancher Winston was, however, wrong in this. He had played the part of
an honest man with the courage which had brought him to ruin, but there
was now to be a difference.




CHAPTER III

TROOPER SHANNON'S QUARREL

There was bitter frost in the darkness outside when two young men stood