“An’ he’ll raise a breeze here when he comes back, an’ we was bettin’ thet he’d kill you, Bill,” said Negotiate.

“And I take the bet; who will wager, and what sum?” said the scout.

“I’ll take your bet, sir,” and a heavily bearded, stout-formed man stepped forward.

“You are a stranger to me, sir, and will have to plank down your dust, unless some one here knows you,” said Buffalo Bill, eying the man closely.

“I am a stranger in Border City, but I have the money to deposit, and as I know Kent King well, I’ll bet on his killing you if you have wronged him,” replied the stranger.

“Wronged him! Why, who could wrong a wolf? If he is your friend, I will say that you keep low company; but what will you bet that he kills me?”

The man seemed angered for an instant by the outspoken words of the scout, but answered quietly:

“Say a thousand dollars.”

“Done! It’s the amount you name, and I’ll seek a stakeholder!”

“I’ll get one,” the man answered.