"Then what's the object of this bounty?" Carson insisted.
"That's aimed at the doubtful folks," Brill stated. "Folks that was on the fence—like you. This death list makes them spooky and they turn into good little citizens in one round of the clock. It leaves the worst ones outside without a friend. Every one lined up solid behind the law. Public sentiment will start running strong against those outside. Then it'll be easy for the sheriff and a bunch of deputies—like you—to clean the country up from end to end, with the whole community backing your play."
Carson considered this for some time.
"Well, I can furnish the deputies," he said at last. "Boys that are strong for law and order from first to last."
"I've got about all I need," the sheriff said. "A dozen or so. Mostly old friends of yours. I've picked 'em up on and off in the last two weeks. They're strong for upholding the last letter of the law—just like you said."
"A dozen?" Carson asked. "How'll you raise the money to pay that many at once?"
"I'm sort of expecting maybe the Three Bar will make up the deficit," Alden said. "It's cheaper than paying rewards. That's another reason I don't think Cal had a hand in this blacklist report."
The storekeeper grinned.
"Surely not. Surely not. I'd never suspect him of that," he said. "But all the same it's working just as well as if he really had."