Are you goin' on his side ?" "Yes, I reckon I am." "Wal, I'm glad you've declared yourself," rejoined Beasley, shortly, and he strode away with the ponderous gait of a man who would brush any obstacle from his path.
"Milt, thet's bad--makin' Beasley sore at you," said Lem Harden.

"He's on the way to boss this outfit." "He's sure goin' to step into Al's boots," said another.
"Thet was white of Milt to stick up fer poor old Al," declared Lem's brother.
Dale broke away from them and wended a thoughtful way down the road.

The burden of what he knew about Beasley weighed less heavily upon him, and the close-lipped course he had decided upon appeared wisest.

He needed to think before undertaking to call upon old Al Auchincloss; and to that end he sought an hour's seclusion under the pines..