"The gun-route might be the best," and Curly motioned significantly toward the rifle. "Accidents sometimes happen, ye know."
"But what about the old man? He might make trouble."
"Then, settle him, too. He goes alone into the hills, doesn't he?"
"Why, yes. I never thought of that. He's got a cabin over yonder. I know where it is. He often spends days alone there, with not a soul around, prospectin', so I understand."
"Something might happen there, too, eh?" and Curly grinned. "Then the girl will be ours."
"But what about the Police?" Dan warned. "They'd be on our trail like greased-lightning."
"But it will be an accident like the other, won't it?"
"But suppose the accidents don't happen?"
"The devil do I care. Let me get the girl, an' I'll look out fer myself after that. I've been in such scrapes before, an' I guess you have, too, Dan."
For some time the two villains sat that night before the fire, and discussed in detail their nefarious plans. They were men in whose bosoms no feeling of pity or sympathy dwelt. To them a pure noble girl was merely an object of their vile passions. Others had been victimized by these brutes, and they had now sunk so low that they were willing to sacrifice innocent lives in order to gratify their base desires.