Dug regarded him steadily.
"You've got news of them?"
Bob nodded, and glanced meaningly in the direction of Lew Hank.
"I've seen 'em. But—it's more than that."
The rancher turned quickly upon his foreman.
"Say, just get along into the shack there, and see how the Doc's making with young Syme. I need a talk with Whitstone."
It was not without obvious and resentful reluctance that Lew Hank withdrew. Even his hardihood, however, was unequal to resisting so direct an order from his chief.
The two men watched him out of earshot. Then Dug, with almost precipitate haste, turned back to his visitor.
"Now, sir, I'm ready to hear anything you need to tell me."
But Bob was thinking of Ju Penrose as he had thought of him many times since he had listened and yielded to Effie's appeal. Every man has his price. Bob knew now that he, like the rest, had his price. That price a woman had set for him. Ju was right—hatefully right. Well, he would now refuse to be robbed of one cent of it.