For a moment the elder man looked disconcerted; then he jumped to his feet with an oath.

“Put her there, Mister!” said he, with an evil smile.  He thrust forth a great hand, and for an instant Everett placed his fingers within it.

“I thought I had not guessed wrongly,” the lawyer quickly averred.  “If that is how you feel, I can do better work for you.”

“I see that, Mister,” muttered Lon.

“Are those children really yours?” Everett took out a cigar and lighted it.

“Yep,” answered Lon, dropping his gaze.

Everett decided that the man had lied to him, and he was glad.

“I think you said you had some plans for the girl,” he broke forth presently.

“Yep; but no plans be any good when she’s with Shellington.”

“But after she has left him?  Would you be willing to change your plans for her?”

Cronk did not reply, but centered his gaze full upon Everett.

“The question is, would you, for a good sum of money, be willing to give her to me?”

“Why give her to ye, Mister—­why?” His voice rose to a shout.

“I want her,” Everett answered quietly.

“What for?”

“I love her.”

“Ye want to marry her?” muttered Lon vindictively.

“No,” drawled Everett; “I am going to marry Miss Shellington.”

“Good God! ye don’t mean it!  And yet ye take this case what’s most interestin’ to ’em?  Yer gal won’t like that, Mister.”

“She loves me, and when I explain that it’s all under the law she’ll forgive me.  There’s nothing quite like having a woman in love with you to get her to do what you want her to.”

“But her brother, he ain’t lovin’ ye that way.  He won’t forgive ye.”

“He doesn’t cut any ice,” said Everett.  “In fact, I hate him, and—­”

“Be ye lovin’ my Flea?” Lon’s voice cracked out the question like a gunshot.

“I think so.”

“Be Flea lovin’ you, or him?”

“She loves him.”

“Then it will hurt her like the devil to take her away from him, eh?”

The eagerness expressed in the squatter’s tones confirmed Everett’s suspicions.  Cronk hated that boy and girl.  Brimbecomb impassively overlooked Floyd; but Flea he would have!

“Yes,” he said, “I think it will hurt them both.”

“How much money will ye give if I hand her over to ye?” asked Cronk presently.

“How much do you want?”

“Wal, Mister, it’s this way:  Ye remember that feller I had with me t’other day?” Everett nodded.  “I mean, the feller with the hook?” Again Everett inclined his head.  “I said as how he could have Flea.  Ye has to buy him off, too, and that ain’t so easy as ’tis to settle with me—­especially, as ye ain’t goin’ to marry Flea.  I ain’t goin’ to give her to no man what’s honest—­ye hear?”

“I supposed as much,” commented Everett, reddening.