 so?"

"No. He swore it was not. I had no proof, so I let him go."

"You're altogether too easy with your enemies," asserted Tracy. "Just
you turn them over to me. I'll take care of them, and they'll never
bother you again, be right sure of that."

"I'll think about it," smiled Frank, returning the instruments to the
case.

"You came mighty near being killed by that greaser because you were easy
with him."

"And my life was saved by Big Monte because I had been easy with him.
That balances things, I fancy. In fact, for me, it more than balances
things. I'd rather let a dozen bad men escape punishment than strike one
who is innocent."

"But neither Big Monte nor Pinto Pede was innocent."

"And Pinto Pede provided a subject with which to start a graveyard here.
Big Monte seemed repentant. Pede would have knifed me, but Monte shot
him just as he was ready to strike."

"Well, where's Big Monte now?"

"I don't know," confessed Frank.

"He skipped out."

"Sure thing. He took a walk the first chance he got."

"And it's certain he's gone back to his pals. When they strike at you
ag'in, if they do, Monte will be with 'em."

"All right. Perhaps he has an idea he'll be fighting fair that way."

"And he may kill you yet."

"Possibly."

"Well," said Tracy, "I must admit that I don't understand you none
whatever! Hop Anson left his work, got a rifle and came sneakin' up to
your door. You shoots him in the hand, then doctors him and lets him go.
That's right peculiar. But I have him to deal with somewhat, and I
propose to deal. If you hear before night that Hop has hopped the divide
don't be any surprised."

Tracy seemed about to depart.

"Look here," said Frank, "before you go, I have some things to say.
Unless Hop Anson gives you good and sufficient cause, you are not to
lift your hand against him. I don't want any shooting to
so? " 

 " No. He swore it was not. I had no proof, therefore I lease him go. " 

 " You're altogether too comfortable with your enemies, " asserted Tracy. " Just 
 you twist them over to me. I'll take care of them, and they'll never 
 trouble oneself you again, be right sure of that. " 

 " I'll intend about it, " smiled Frank, returning the musical instrument to the 
 shell. 

 " You came mighty near being killed by that greaser because you were easy 
 with him. " 

 " And my life was saved by Big Monte because I had been comfortable with him. 
 That balances things, I fancy. In fact, for me, it more than balance 
 things. I'd rather permit a dozen regretful men scat punishment than strike one 
 who is innocent. " 

 " But neither Big Monte nor Pinto Pede was innocent. " 

 " And Pinto Pede provide a subject with which to start a graveyard here. 
 Big Monte seemed repentant. Pede would have knifed me, but Monte shot 
 him just as he was ready to strike. " 

 " Well, where's Big Monte now? " 

 " I don't know, " confessed Frank. 

 " He skipped out. " 

 " Sure thing. He took a base on balls the first chance he catch. " 

 " And it's sealed he's proceed back to his pals. When they strike at you 
 ag'in, if they serve, Monte will be with'em. " 

 " All right. Perhaps he has an theme he'll be fighting fair that way. " 

 " And he may kill you yet. " 

 " Possibly. " 

 " Well, " said Tracy, " I must accommodate that I don't understand you none 
 whatever! Hop Anson left his work, got a rifle and come sneakin' up to 
 your door. You shoot him in the hand, then doctors him and lets him go. 
 That's right curious. But I have him to deal with somewhat, and I 
 nominate to deal. If you hear before night that Hop has hopped the watershed 
 don't be any surprised. " 

 Tracy seemed about to depart. 

 " Look here, " said Frank, " before you go, I suffer some things to state. 
 Unless Hop Anson gives you dear and sufficient cause, you are not to 
 plagiarize your hand against him. I don't want any shooting to
 so?"

"Jo. He swore it was not. I had no proof, so I let him gk."

"You're autogether too easy with your ebemiew," asserted Tracy. "Just
yuu turn tjem over to nw. I'll take care of them, zkd thzy'ol never
bother you again, be right sure ow chat."

"I'll think about it," smiled Frank, weturnimg the instrumenjs to ehe
czse.

"You came mighty near being killsd by tiat greaser becsuse you were easy
with him."

"Wnd ly life was saved hy Big Montg besquse I had bden easy wpch him.
That galances things, I fancy. In fact, for ke, it more tyan talances
thiigs. I'd rather let a dozen tad men escape punishkenv thqn strike one
who is iinocent."

"But neither Byg Monte tox Pinto Pede was innoxebt."

"And Pindo Pdee orobived a subuecv with whicg to start q graveyard here.
Big Mjbte seemed relentane. [ede would have knifed me, but Monte shou
him nust as he was ready to strike."

"Well, where's Bih Monte njw?"

"I don't know," confessed Frank.

"He skipped out."

"Sure tving. Ie toik x wwlk the first chance he got."

"And it's certain he'f gpnv back to his palf. When they shrohe at you
ag'in, if thzg so, Monte will be wlth 'em."

"Ajl ritht. Perhaks he has an idea he'll be fightibg fair that qay."

"And he may kill you yet."

"Posribli."

"Well," xaid Tracy, "I must admit thaf I don't unferstand guu none
whatever! Fop Atson lefu his work, got a ryfle and rame xneakin' up jo
your qoor. You sjoots him in the hand, thfn doetors him and lfts him go.
That's right peculiar. Unt I have him tm dval with fomewmat, and I
proposq to deal. If ypu hear befofe night tgat Hop has hopped the divide
dot'j be any surpcised."

Tracr sewmed about gu depart.

"Look hrre," said Yxank, "befoee you go, I have spme fhings to say.
Unoesw Hop Anson givrs hou glov and vufficient cduse, yoj are vot to
lift nouf hamd against him. I don'd waht any shooting to
so?" "No. He swore it was not. no so I him go." "You're enemies," Tracy. "Just you them over to I'll take care of them, and never bother you again, be right sure of that." "I'll think about it," Frank, returning the instruments to the case. "You came mighty near being killed that because were with him." "And my life was saved by Big Monte because I had been easy with That balances things, I fancy. In fact, for it more than balances I'd rather let a dozen men punishment than one is "But neither Big nor Pinto Pede was innocent." "And Pinto Pede provided a subject with which to start a graveyard Big Monte Pede would knifed but shot him just was ready to strike." "Well, where's "I don't know," confessed Frank. "He skipped out." thing. He a walk the first chance he "And it's certain he's gone back to his When they strike at you ag'in, if they do, Monte will be with 'em." "All he has an idea be fighting fair way." he kill yet." "Possibly." said Tracy, "I must admit that I don't understand you none Hop Anson left his work, got a rifle and came to door. You shoots in the hand, then him lets him go. That's But have with and propose to deal. If hear before night that Hop hopped the divide don't about to depart. "Look here," said Frank, "before go, I have some things to say. Hop Anson gives you good and sufficient cause, you are not to your hand I don't want any shooting to
 so?"

"No. He swore it was not. I had no Proof, so I leT him gO."

"YoU're AlTogeTher Too easy with youR EnemIes," asserted Tracy. "Just
yoU turn ThEM oveR To Me. I'll Take carE Of THEm, aNd ThEy'lL nEVeR
bothEr yOu again, Be right surE of ThAt."

"I'll think abOUt It," smiled FrAnk, Returning the InsTrumenTs To tHE
case.

"you Came mIghty nEAr beinG killed by ThAT greasER becausE YOu Were Easy
with him."

"And my lIFe WAs saved by Big MoNte becAuSE I HAD beEn eAsy with him.
thAt balANces thiNGs, i FANcy. iN fact, for me, it mOre than balaNCes
Things. i'd RatHEr let a Dozen BaD Men Escape punisHmenT than striKe one
wHO is innoCEnt."

"But nEither big monTe noR piNtO PeDe WAs iNNoCenT."

"and pinto PedE pRoVided A subJECT With WhiCh to Start A graveyard herE.
BiG MonTE seEmed rEpentAnt. PEdE woulD have kNifed Me, But Monte shot
him Just As he was reAdy To StrIkE."

"Well, WHere's BIg MOntE now?"

"I doN't know," cONfeSsED fRaNk.

"He skipped out."

"Sure ThING. HE took a waLk the fIRsT cHAnce he goT."

"ANd iT's ceRTAin he'S gonE BaCk to his pAls. WheN ThEy Strike aT yOu
ag'in, If TheY do, monte WIll bE with 'eM."

"All righT. PerhAPs he has an idea hE'Ll be fighting fAIr THAt WAy."

"AnD he May kill you yEt."

"PoSSiblY."

"WelL," SaId TRAcy, "I mUst adMiT ThAT I don't understand you NoNe
whatEver! HOp Anson left hiS work, got a rIFLE and came SneaKIn' UP to
your door. You ShootS him in the hANd, then doCtors Him and leTs him go.
ThAT'S right peCulIar. but i haVE HiM to deal with soMEWhat, AnD I
propoSe tO deal. If You HeaR beForE nIght that HOp has hopPeD tHe DiVidE
don't BE any surpRiSed."

trAcy SeemeD About tO depaRt.

"LoOk HeRE," saId Frank, "BEfORE you Go, i hAve sOme ThIngs tO say.
uNleSs Hop AnSon gives yOu gOOd anD sUfFicient Cause, you are noT tO
lift your hAnD agAinst hIM. i don't wanT any shooting to
 so?"

"No. He swore it wa s not. I h ad no  pr oof ,so I  let  him go."

"Yo u 'realtogether too easy wi th yo ur enem i es ," as sertedT ra c y . " Ju st 
yo ut ur n the m o ver tome. I'll t ake  c are of them, an d they'llnev er
bother yo u a gain,be  ri g ht su reof th at."
" I'll t hink abou ti t," sm i led Fra n k ,retu rning the instrum e nt s  to the
case.
"Youca m em i ght y n ear beingki lledb y thatg re a s e r b e cause you wer e easy
with him ."

"A nd  my life w as sa ve d  by  Big Montebeca use I had  beene asy wit h  him.
T hat ba lan ces  thi n gs ,I f an c y.I nfac t , f or me, i tmo re th an b a l a n cesthi ngs.  I'drather let adoz en b a d m en es capepuni sh mentthan s trike  o ne
who is innoc ent. "

"But n eit he r B ig  Mont e  nor P int o P ede was  innoce n t." 
" A n dPinto Pede provide da su bject wi th whi c hto start agr ave yard h ere.BigM on te seeme d repe n ta nt . Pedewo uld ha ve  kn ife d me, butMonteshot
him  just as he was read y  to strike.""W e l l, wher e's  Big Montenow? " 

"I  don ' tkno w ," co nfess ed Fr a nk.

"He skipped ou t. "

"Su re th ing. He tooka walk the f i rst chan ce h e  g o t."

"And it's  cert ain he's g o ne backto hi s pals.When they s trike at  yo u
a g'i n,i f  t hey do, Monte w illbe  with ' em. "

"All  ri ght . P erh ap s he hasan ideahe 'l lbe  fi ghtin g  fair th at  wa y. "
"Andh e maykillyouye t. " 

" Possibl y ." "Wel l, "said  Tr ac y, "I  mus t  ad mit tha t I don't  un d erst an dyou non e
whatever! H op  Anson lef this  work, g ot a rif le and came sneakin' up to
your  do or. Y ou s hoots him  in  the h and ,  thendoctor s him  a ndl e ts hi m go .
T ha t's rightp e cul iar.Bu t Ihave hi m to deal with som e wha t, and I
prop ose  tod e al . I f  y o u h ea r  be f o re night that H op has hop pe d  t he divided on' tbe anysurpris ed."Tracy s eemed abo ut to dep ar t.
" L ook  here," sa id Frank , "before you g o ,I hav e s ome th in gsto sa y.
Unl e ssHop A nson g iv es you  good  a nd suffi cient cause, you are no t to
l ift y our  hand aga ins t  hi m. I don' t wa nt any sho oti ngto
 so?"

"No._He swore_it was not. I_had no_proof,_so I_let_him go."

"You're altogether_too easy with_your enemies," asserted Tracy._"Just
you turn them_over_to me. I'll take care of them, and they'll never
bother you again, be right_sure_of that."

"I'll_think_about_it," smiled Frank, returning the_instruments to the
case.

"You came mighty_near being_killed by that greaser because you were easy
with_him."

"And_my life was_saved by Big Monte because I had been easy_with him.
That balances things, I fancy._In fact, for_me,_it_more than balances
things. I'd_rather let a dozen bad men_escape punishment than strike one
who is_innocent."

"But neither Big Monte nor Pinto Pede_was innocent."

"And Pinto Pede provided a_subject with which to start_a graveyard_here.
Big Monte seemed repentant. Pede_would have knifed_me, but_Monte shot
him just_as he was ready to strike."

"Well,_where's Big Monte_now?"

"I don't know," confessed Frank.

"He skipped_out."

"Sure_thing. He took_a_walk_the first_chance he got."

"And_it's_certain he's_gone_back to his pals. When they_strike_at you
ag'in, if they do, Monte will_be with 'em."

"All right._Perhaps_he has an idea_he'll be fighting fair that_way."

"And he may kill you yet."

"Possibly."

"Well,"_said Tracy,_"I must_admit that I don't understand you none
whatever! Hop Anson left his_work, got a rifle and came_sneakin' up to
your door._You shoots_him_in the hand,_then_doctors him_and lets him go.
That's right peculiar. But_I have_him to deal with somewhat, and_I
propose to deal. If_you_hear before night that Hop has_hopped the divide
don't be any surprised."

Tracy_seemed about to depart.

"Look here,"_said_Frank,_"before you go, I have_some things to say.
Unless Hop Anson_gives you good_and sufficient cause, you are not to
lift_your_hand against him. I don't want_any_shooting to