“Then there ain’t no need o’ dividing,” declared Dan, thrusting his money into a trousers pocket and fumbling for a pin with which to close the top of the pocket.  “Now, I’ll go back to the road, find the hoss, an’ drive him most of the way into town.  Then I’ll turn the hoss loose, to do his home-findin’ an’ I’ll keep on until I can buy something in bottles.”

“But ye ain’t goin’ t’ take all that money with ye inter town?” protested Josh Owen.

“Why not?  It’s mine,” declared Jaggers, with singular ideas of ownership.

“But I know ye, Dan Jaggers.  If ye git inter Dunhaven with all that money ye won’t be able to keep from showin’ it.  Then, if these boys ever git loose, an’ do their talkin’, folks will remember that ye showed such a lot o’ cash on this night, an’ the law’ll have you caught in yer own steel trap.  It’d help to put me in trouble, too.  No, no, Danny.  Ye can take five dollars, but ye’ll have t’ leave the rest of the money with me.”

“An’ then I’d find ye here when I came back, wouldn’t I?” sneered Jaggers.

“Yes!” replied Josh Owen, stoutly, and doubtless meant it, for he was really fond of this rough, shaggy young bully of a nephew of his.  “Don’t ye see, Danny, it’d be foolish of me to light out with all the money?  Then ye’d turn against me, an’ help the constables to catch me.  Looky here, Danny, you trust me, an’ ye won’t come far out.  Now, take five dollars, an’ leave the rest with me.”

“No, I won’t,” retorted that youth, defiantly.

“Yes, ye will!” suddenly shot from between the lips of Josh Owen.  He accompanied the words with a spring, bearing his nephew down to the ground, and holding him there.

“I’m stronger than you, Danny, an’ ye know it,” growled the ex-foreman, hoarsely.  “Now, will ye hand up that money, or will ye make me take it from ye?”

With a reluctant grace, while still pinned down to the ground, Dan Jaggers surrendered his half of the stolen money.

“Now, ye can git up, and go do what’s laid out to be done,” announced Josh Owen, peeling a five-dollar bill from the roll and handing it to his nephew.  “First, get the horse headed right, then go on into town and get the liquor.  But don’t ye stop to drink in Dunhaven, Danny.  If ye do, ye’ll be sure to git inter a fight, and ye might do some talkin’ too.  Hustle in, and hustle back, and ye’ll find ye can trust me to hold outer to-night’s pickings safe for ye.  Don’t ye worry a mite on the way to town or back, Danny boy.”

If a scowl could have killed, Dan would have triumphed, even now, at the expense of his uncle’s life.  But Josh paid no heed to black looks.  He thought he knew this nephew of his.

“Hurry along, Danny,” he coaxed.  “My throat is gittin’ mighty dry for a bit o’ liquor.”

“Give me another five-spot,” begged Jaggers.

“Not another dollar till ye come back, Danny,” rejoined his uncle, firmly.  “The quicker ye start, an’ return, the quicker ye’ll have yer share of the night’s business.  Now, git!”