Plume began again.  “You can’t do that way here now.  That’s broke up.  But the way I tell you is the real way.”  He pictured Wickersham’s wealth, his hardness toward his employes, his being a Yankee, his boast that he would injure Keith and shut up his mine.

“What’ve you got against him?” demanded Mr. Bluffy.  “I thought you and him was thick as thieves?”

“It’s a public benefit I’m after,” declared Plume, unblushingly.  “I am for New Leeds first, last, and all the time.”

“You must think you are New Leeds,” observed Bluffy.

Plume laughed.

“I’ve got nothing against him particularly, though he’s injured me deeply.  Hasn’t he thrown all the men out of work!” He pushed the bottle over toward the other, and he poured out another drink and tossed it off.  “You needn’t be so easy about him.  He’s been mean enough to you.  Wasn’t it him that gave the description of you that night when you stopped the stage?”

Bill Bluffy’s face changed, and there was a flash in his eye.

“Who says I done it?”

Plume laughed.  “I don’t say you did it.  You needn’t get mad with me.  He says you did it.  Keith said he didn’t know what sort of man it was.  Wickersham described you so that everybody knew you.  I reckon if Keith had back-stood him you’d have had a harder time than you did.”

The cloud had gathered deeper on Bluffy’s brow.  He took another drink.

“——­ him!  I’ll blow up his ——­ mine and him, too!” he growled.  “How did you say ’twas to be done?”

Plume glanced around at the closed windows and lowered his voice as he made certain explanations.

“I’ll furnish the dynamite.”

“All right.  Give me the money.”

But Plume demurred.

“Not till it’s done.  I haven’t any doubt about your doing it,” he explained quickly, seeing a black look in Bluffy’s eyes.  “But you know yourself you’re liable to get full, and you mayn’t do it as well as you otherwise would.”

“Oh, if I say I’ll do it, I’ll do it.”

“You needn’t be afraid of not getting your money.”

“I ain’t afraid,” said Bluffy, with an oath.  “If I don’t get it I’ll get blood.”  His eyes as they rested on Plume had a sudden gleam in them.

When Wickersham and Plume met that night the latter gave an account of his negotiation.  “It’s all fixed,” he said, “but it costs more than I expected—­a lot more,” he said slowly, gauging Wickersham’s views by his face.

“How much more?  I told you my limit.”

“We had to do it,” said Mr. Plume, without stating the price.

Wickersham swore.

“He won’t do it till he gets the cash,” pursued Plume.  “But I’ll be responsible for him,” he added quickly, noting the change in Wickersham’s expression.

Again Wickersham swore; and Plume changed the subject.

“How’d you come out?” he asked.

“When—­what do you mean?”