Slade resented them promptly.
The outlaws soon found that the new agent was a man who did not fear anything that breathed the breath of life.

He made short work of all offenders.

The result was that delays ceased, the company's property was let alone, and no matter what happened or who suffered, Slade's coaches went through, every time! True, in order to bring about this wholesome change, Slade had to kill several men--some say three, others say four, and others six--but the world was the richer for their loss.

The first prominent difficulty he had was with the ex-agent Jules, who bore the reputation of being a reckless and desperate man himself.

Jules hated Slade for supplanting him, and a good fair occasion for a fight was all he was waiting for.