Courthorne nodded.  “It’s unlawful, but not against the unwritten code.”

“Well,” said Winston quietly.  “When you tell me what you want I should have a better opinion.”

Courthorne laughed a little, though there was something unpleasant in his eyes.  “When I first came out to this country I should have resented that,” he said.  “Now, it seems to me that I’m putting too much in your hands if I make the whole thing clear before you commit yourself in any way.”

Winston nodded.  “In fact, you have got to trust me.  You can do so safely.”

“The assurance of the guileless is astonishing and occasionally hard to bear,” said Courthorne.  “Why not reverse the position?”

Winston’s gaze was steady, and free from embarrassment.  “I am,” he said, “waiting for your offer.”

“Then,” said Courthorne dryly, “here it is.  We are running a big load through to the northern settlements and the reserves to-morrow, and while there’s a good deal of profit attached to the venture, I have a notion that Sergeant Stimson has had word of it.  Now, the Sergeant knows just how I stand with the rustlers though he can fasten no charge on me, and he will have several of his troopers looking out for me.  Well, I want one of them to see and follow me south along the Montana trail.  There’s no horse in the Government service can keep pace with that black of mine, but it would not be difficult to pull him and just keep the trooper out of carbine-shot behind.  When he finds he can’t overtake the black, he’ll go off for his comrades, and the boys will run our goods across the river while they’re picking up the trail.”

“You mentioned the horse, but not yourself,” said Winston quietly.

Courthorne laughed.  “Yes,” he said.  “I will not be there.  I’m offering you one hundred dollars to ride the black for me.  You can put my furs on, and anybody who saw you and knew the horse would certify it was me.”

“And where will you be?”

“Here,” said Courthorne dryly.  “The boys will have no use for me until they want a guide, but they’ll leave an unloaded pack horse handy, and, as it wouldn’t suit any of us to make my connection with them too plain, it will be a night or two later when I join them.  In the meanwhile your part’s quite easy.  No trooper could ride you down unless you wanted him to, and you’ll ride straight on to Montana—­I’ve a route marked out for you.  You’ll stop at the places I tell you, and the testimony of anybody who saw you on the black would be quite enough to clear me if Stimson’s men are too eleven for the boys.”

Winston sat still a moment, and it was not avarice which prompted him when he said, “Considering the risk one hundred dollars is very little.”

“Of course,” said Courthorne.  “Still, it isn’t worth any more to me, and there will be your expenses.  If it doesn’t suit you, I will do the thing myself and find the boys another guide.”